Slippery Slope
by bornonhalloween
Summary: A crash course with destiny brings together a burned-out social worker seeking to rekindle her faith in mankind and a disillusioned attorney running out of chances to be a real life hero. Written for Texasfires compilation. E/B, AH, M for language
1. Persuasion

**A/N: **I wrote this story for the _Fandom For Texas Wildfire Relief _fundraiser compilation out of respect and admiration for the real-life heroes fighting against the spread of the Texas wildfires, in particular, Mr. teamswitzerlandmom (Missy's husband). And because we all need a Heroward.

With gratitude to Beta Babes Alterite and Trip (FFFan1664), for their thorough yet loving suggestions; and the creative and generous Ysar, for the lovely banner, which is found on my FaceBook page.

*/*

**SLIPPERY SLOPE**

**1 PERSUASION**

**/BPOV\**

"I'm telling you, Alice, if I have to disappoint another child tomorrow, it's just gonna shatter what's left of my heart."

"Bella, I hear you. I really do. That's how I know you need to get away."

I knew there was something more behind her casual offer to take me to lunch today. Alice always has an agenda. "Alice, I have people counting on me here. I can't just—"

"Bella," she curls her tiny hand over mine on the table between us. "You _CAN_ just. You _have_ to. You're not doing anyone any good like this. I hate to be blunt, but you're starting to remind me of the helium balloon left over from my birthday party last week. Every morning, it's another six inches closer to the floor of my bedroom, and frankly, there's not much further it can sink."

"Gee, thanks, Alice! Now I'm a shriveled up piece of latex? And since _when_ do you hate to be blunt?"

Her lips curl into a smile. "True, but think about it, Bella. You haven't had a second date in eleven months and thirteen days. _Yes_, I'm counting. If I don't tell it like it is, who's going to pull you out of your doldrums? Come with me Thursday night. I know you've got Good Friday off; it's a three-day weekend. There's an extra space on the bus. Your parents already said they'd pay for the trip. You have no excuses left."

"How about the obvious: I don't ski?"

She bats away my insignificant objection. "So you'll go to ski school in the morning and I'll ski with you in the afternoon. You'll be a pro after the three days. Trust me!"

Oh sure. Trust the natural athlete- the gymnast with the perfect balance and coordination who, by the way, was genetically engineered to feel no fear.

"Come on, Bella. Find your faith in mankind on the mountaintop. Who knows, maybe you'll meet yourself a hot ski instructor! Worst-case scenario, you hook up with one of the guys in the ski club. It's a fun group and everyone's single and in our age range."

The dreaded _thirtysomethings_. "I don't even own a pair of ski pants," I grumble, showing weakness that I know she'll exploit.

"Let's go!" she says brightly, grabbing my out of my chair. "The Alpine Haus is open till 9 tonight!"

*/*

**|EPOV|**

Dropping my briefcase at the back door, I shuffle to the beige leather couch and flop into my usual spot. _It's not as if there's anyone here to challenge me for it_, I muse darkly. Loosening the knot of my tie with one hand, I robotically grab the remote with the other and bring the screen to life. Fantastic, just in time for the News at 10, and always such cheery stories.

A fiery blaze fills the screen and the anchor introduces Chief Bogart of the Texas Forest Service.

"_Chief, can you tell us how the battle is going?"_

"_Our firefighters are fatigued. And our concern right now is getting replacements in here, so that our men can stay safe and rested, and we can attack this fire head-on."_

The scene switches to a rugged firefighter carrying two small children from a burning house.

I'm filled with a familiar restlessness that seems to be growing inside me lately. Maybe it's early onset of midlife crisis, or maybe it's reality crashing down on me. Wasn't I supposed to be a hero by now? Isn't that why I went to law school in the first place? To change the world, defend the defenseless, leave my mark?

_How's that working for you, Edward?_

Ugh, I click off the TV and push myself up out of the butt-shaped impression I've worn in the seat. I'm hungry. Damn, did I forget to eat dinner again?

Putting one foot in front of the other, I propel myself to the freezer and dig out one of my vast selection of frozen pizzas. Impatient, I opt for the 'not recommended' microwave instructions and set my dinner moving on the glass carousel. Round and round. Just like my life.

_Jesus,_ _could you be any more morose_?

Right on cue, my cell hums to life with AC/DC's _Thunderstruck_ and my little brother's goofy face fills my iPhone screen.

"Hey, Em."

"Have you booked your room yet? It's Easter weekend. We're already at 95% occupancy."

I sigh heavily. "Emmett, you know I said 'I'd try.' I've got a shitload of work piled on my desk."

"Sounds like a great reason to come out here, get some fresh air into the lungs and stretch those long legs of yours.

"I really wish I could. I have this IPO happening on Wednesday and briefs to slog through for a trial—"

"Wow, Edward. Do you even hear yourself?"

"Yes, Emmett. It's called being an adult."

My pizza beeps, and I slide the hot bubbling mess onto a waiting plate. Using my ear to hold the phone to my shoulder, I free up my hands and slice the pizza into quarters. Emmett's rant continues as I pull the first bite eagerly to my mouth.

"Is that another microwave pizza dinner, man? Come on, Edward. How much longer can you go on like this?"

I lower the slice and drop it onto my plate. It's too hot to eat anyway.

"Rosie's got some cute friends coming out this weekend. Who knows? Maybe you'll find yourself a little ski bunny."

"I don't have time for a girl right now," I sigh.

"I don't even know what that means," he answers dismissively. "Look, the lift tickets are on me. Just get your pale ass out here so I can try to unearth my big brother from all that paperwork and adulthood you've piled on top of him!"

I lift the semi-cooled pizza slice to my mouth again. The crust is soggy and the cheese is already congealing into little greasy islands atop the tomato sauce. My life is utterly unappetizing.

"Fine."


	2. Ski Legs

**A/N: **See that symbol right there? Yeah, just below here? That's supposed to look like skis but ff won't let me express my inner artist. First, it was the scissors, and now the skis! HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO WORK UNDER THESE CONDITIONS?

*/*

**SLIPPERY SLOPE**

**2 SKI LEGS**

**/BPOV\**

"Are you sure you don't have room for me in your afternoon class, Emmett?" I plead, panicked about being released into the wilds of Powderloaf Mountain.

"Wish I did, Bellabunny, but I'm on 'Snot and Cocoa Duty' this afternoon and my roster is full." Just then, a dozen tiny skiers push their way through the crowd and wrap themselves around Emmett's massive legs.

Over their chants of "Em-mett!" he reassures me, "You'll be fine, Bella. Just hold that pizza wedge position and stay on the green circle trails. Make smooth, wide turns, and remember, speed is your friend. At the end of the day, take some Advil and get lots of rest. See you tomorrow morning, kiddo!"

The little Lilliputians turn their Gulliver toward the door and carry him away just as Alice spots me from across the room. She waves me over to where the Denver Skiing Singles Club is finishing lunch.

"How'd it go?" she asks expectantly.

"It was fun," I admit. "I think I'm starting to get the hang of it."

"That's awesome," she says brightly. "Are you chair lift safe?"

"Yeah, we did that right at the end."

"Perfect. We're all going up to the top together, and you and I can take the green trails down. K?"

"All the way to the top, Alice? Isn't that a little ambitious?"

"Bella, you can't ski the bottom of the mountain this time of the day. It's starting to get icy down here. Trust me, the experience is far superior at the top."

Alice can be very convincing, and with backup from the rest of the club, I relent, against my better judgment. Alice has a way of pushing me into uncomfortable situations. But, I remind myself, they usually pay off. And this one probably will, too, if I don't kill myself, that is.

Somehow, I get sandwiched into the middle of a triple chair lift to the top, with Alice to my right and a guy named James to my left. I talked to him a bit on the bus last night, and he seemed like an okay guy. Cute, blond, completely self-assured, even a little dangerous. Truth be told, he seems more Alice's type than mine.

"Mind if I ski with the two of you?" he asks.

"Oh, um, I'm a complete novice. First time on skis. We're going to have to stick to the green trails."

"That's fine," he says. "I can hone my technique."

I turn to Alice for some guidance. "He likes you," she murmurs into my wool ski cap in the vicinity of my ear. "He's been pumping me for information about you all morning."

I glance back at him. I came here to give it a chance. I may as well be open to it when it's sitting right next to me. "Sure," I tell him. "If you really don't mind taking it slow."

He leans into me and says quietly, "Maybe you can ask your friend to give us a little time to get to know each other?"

"Oh, um…wait a second," I answer him. Turning to my right, I grab Alice by the elbow and yank her to me.

"Careful! You almost made me drop my poles!"

"Sorry," I answer, through gritted teeth. "He says he wants to be alone with me. What should I do?"

"What do you _want_ to do, Bella? He's a good skier. He can definitely get you down the mountain. We'll make a plan to meet at the bottom and if you are not clicking with him, I'll just attach myself to you…like a tick."

"I suppose it couldn't hurt to take one run with him, right?"

"Attagirl," she smiles.

*/*

**|EPOV|**

I've got to hand it to Emmett—he was right about the fresh air and the leg stretching. I take things easy and warm up on some intermediate runs. Even though I was volunteer ski patrol at Dartmouth for the four years I was there, I'm a working drone now, and holidays are really my only chances to ski. It's been three months since I was out here for Christmas, and I have to admit to an increasingly unhealthy lifestyle. Late nights, lunches gobbled down at my desk, frozen dinners. What an alarming change of pace from my college years, when the great outdoors were such a huge part of my life.

Sufficiently stretched and feeling my ski legs confidently below me, I ride to the bowl area and play in the fresh powder. It's a gorgeous, sunny spring day and the bowls are relatively uncrowded. With minimal effort, I'm carving clean turns and feeling that familiar rush of exhilaration that comes from harnessing the power of the mountain for my own pleasure.

When I've had my fill of the powder, I take the Devil quad chair to what I've always referred to as the 'hot dog area' of the resort. Every trail off this lift is black diamond. This is the place to head for moguls or jumps. I know my knees will protest later tonight, but I take the turn-off for Goosebumps with glee, and glide gracefully between the hilly bumps.

At the bottom of the trail, I ski right down to the lift line, proceeding directly to the singles lane and waiting patiently for my old friend Bart, who's managed the lift line at the Devil Quad for at least five years, to call out, "Single!" It's a fantastic invention to move the line efficiently, and I've certainly made my share of new…er, friends this way, but today, somehow, hearing that word 'single' feels like a brand on my forehead. Why not just yell, "Loser," "Loner," or better yet, "Lawyer"?

As usual, Bart's done me a solid and hooked me up with a trio of pretty little ski bunnies. I shake off the melancholy feeling as I slide into the chair with the three of them, all dolled up for their day on the slopes. "Looking for some company?" one giggles.

"Are you girls in school?"

"Not right now!" Giggle, giggle, giggle.

I shake my head and smile. "I'm flattered, but I don't think I'd be able to keep up with the three of you." And prison stripes are not my color.

"We could go real s-l-o-w for you, Gorgeous!" Giggle, giggle.

"Well, I'm sure I won't get a better offer today, or probably _ever_, but I'm gonna have to pass."

After a couple more failed attempts to engage me, they thankfully give up and giggle amongst themselves. I'm grateful when the ride ends, and I glide down the exit ramp toward Kangaroo.

One run down the series of jumps reminds me that I'm no longer 18, even if girls that age still miraculously seem to find me attractive. Time to give this weary body a rest. There's a lodge halfway down the mountain with outdoor picnic tables and live music, and I take Razzamatazz to get there. I grab a table, unwrap myself from hat, goggles, gloves, and happily it's warm enough to take off my jacket as well. I unbuckle my boots and all is temporarily right with the world.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** _Chapter 3 - 6 will post daily beginning January 1 and subsequent chapters will follow regularly thereafter._


	3. In Harm's Way

*/*

**SLIPPERY SLOPE**

**3 IN HARM'S WAY**

**/BPOV\**

"Bella, you're sure you're okay here?"

"Yeah, Alice, go and do your thing. I'll be down in like three hours." I scrunch my nose at the thought. But if this guy James turns out to be a winner, it might be time well spent.

He skis to where we're standing and does one of those show-off hockey stops. "Ready, Doll?"

"Ready as I'm gonna get," I answer grimly.

"See ya, Bella," yells Alice over her shoulder, as she swishes away with the rest of the group.

"So…" James starts. "Follow me?" He heads out slowly on Gentle Ben, and I form my wedge that I worked so hard to perfect this morning. I can feel the burn in my thighs. My eyes are glued to James's back. Emmett's hammered into us this morning, "The ass follows the eyes; look down and that's where you're going!"

James takes a decent lead, but he stops and waits for me after a few turns. I start down and eventually catch up to him.

"You're doing great," he praises, white teeth flashing from under his goggles.

My confidence grows, and I get a little bolder with my speed. He, in turn, takes a larger lead. All of a sudden, another skier crosses right in front of my path, causing me to teeter off balance. Luckily, I quickly right myself, but when I look up, there's no sign of James. I pause and strain my eyes for his black coat. Not exactly a distinctive color on the mountain. My heart begins to pound as I realize I've lost my guide. I am all by myself near the very highest point of Powderloaf Mountain. I curse myself for letting Alice leave me.

Panic sets in, and my nervous system overloads. I'm sweating from every pore and my mouth is completely dry. "Maintain calm," I remind myself, my mantra for difficult situations. This is the royal flush of difficult. What would Emmett tell me to do? Deep breath, carve a turn, speed is your friend.

"Okay, I can do this." Pushing off lightly, I ski all the way across the mountain before daring a turn. Across, across, across, running out of mountain- TURN! One down…800 more? Again, I push off, and I find I'm watching my feet and not where I'm going. I make a series of four more turns without incident before stopping to take stock of where I am.

I look up just in time to see a crazed skier skimming within inches of my tips. "On your right!" he yells as he practically knocks me over. Seconds later, another asshole passes me on the left. "Move it!" he yells as he whizzes by.

"_Hey!" _

"_What the hell?" _

"_Get out of the way!"_

I don't understand why this is happening on the green trail. Nothing like this happened this morning. Everything was calm and friendly and slow. This is madness! The other skiers seem incredibly angry with me and I push off to get out of their way, unfortunately almost knocking into the skier there. "Sorry!" I yell, desperate to get out of the way. Across, across, across- TURN! There, I'm off to the side. Surveying the area, I notice a trail marker in front of me. There are only two choices: Goosebumps and Scorpion Bowl. They're both double black diamond!

WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO GENTLE BEN?

Ohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygod! What am I gonna do? I pull off a glove and dive into my inside coat pocket for my phone. DAMN! Not even a single bar up here in the middle of the sky. It's just me and my skis and we've got to get down this mountain together. I fight back the tears and the panic and muster every ounce of positive self-talk.

_Let's get this over with. If I'm gonna die, might as well make it quick._ Well, that's not exactly positive, but it motivates me to push off again. I select Goosebumps, praying it's the lesser of two evils. Pushing forward, I instantly feel the difference of the trail. This one's scratchy and hard and my wedge doesn't slow me down at all. People are flying past me on both sides, seemingly taking great pleasure in unbalancing me. Is everyone on this trail a gigantic asshole?

I'm picking up speed, I know I need to turn, but I can't set the edge. I'm rolling over bump after bump; my skis feel like they may snap right in half! This is it! I'm gonna ski right off the edge of the mountain! I'm gonna die right here, right now! My goggles are completely fogged over with my regurgitated hot breath. I can't see a thing, can't slow down, then all of a sudden, BAM!

*/*

**|EPOV|**

Sated and warmed by my chili dog and fries, I lazily pull my equipment back on. I pop a couple Advil so I can hit the moguls one more time. If my knees hurt tonight, I won't do more tomorrow, I promise myself. I traverse over to the Devil chair and this time ride up with a nice couple from Australia. The husband is asking me for dinner recommendations while my eyes automatically peruse the slopes from above, a remnant of my ski patrol training that I'll probably never lose.

"Holy shit!" I exclaim, tipping over to get a closer look at a girl making her way across the mountain in a full snowplow wedge. "What the hell is that girl doing on this trail? She looks like she's been on skis less than a day and she's somehow skied herself over to Devil Basin. Damn, I wish I had a two-way radio!"

This girl has no business up here and no visible means of getting down. The top part is relatively flat and she's struggling to make turns; heading into the steep part of the mountain could be life-threatening, for her and anyone in her path. I keep my eyes trained on her. Holy hell, she is headed straight for Goosebumps!

"Do me a favor, folks," I say, lifting the safety bar and preparing early to dismount the chair. "Tell the lift operator to have ski patrol on call at the bottom of this lift, would you please? Nice meeting both of you!"

I jump off the chair the moment it's safe and ski over to Goosebumps as fast as my skis can propel me. Luckily, she hasn't gotten very far, but she's already become the epicenter for all kinds of traffic problems. People are passing her closely on both sides as she carves her turn and heads back across. By the time I'm almost caught up to her, she's skidding sideways down the mountain. Her arms are flailing, hair is flying; she's completely lost control. She's off balance, leaning backwards, causing her tips to point up and pick up speed. She's heading straight for the edge of the north face, and I don't even want to think about what's on the other side waiting for her.

I serpentine around the moguls at the right side where she's headed, hoping I can time this perfectly. It's risky at best, and I fear I could get both of us seriously hurt, but I don't see an alternative short of standing back and watching her take a header over the cliff.

My heart is pounding with hot pursuit and inherent danger. I've got one eye on the girl and one on the hills littering my path. I slow my descent so I'll still have some forward velocity when our bodies meet.

I have no choice. It's her only chance. 3…...2…...1….BAM!

The initial contact with her body is not that painful, with all our layers of padded clothing. Her eyes flick to mine and they are positively filled with terror. I wrap my left arm around her body and try to keep her upright. My skis are under hers, as I'd hoped, and I dig in my inside edges, turning both of us to the left, uphill. We scrape and slide across the mountain, attached at the hips and feet, and eventually, mercifully, we begin to slow.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" she yells, as we drift together along the slope. "ARE YOU CRAZY?"

_Probably_, I muse, settling us into a safe stop at the other side of the hill.

"Are you okay? Did I hurt you?" I ask, looking for signs of damage. I realize my arm is still around her and self-consciously, I let go with a gesture of surrender. "Sorry."

She doubles over and catches her breath. After a while, she turns her head sideways and says, almost as if surprised, "You're not an asshole."

The absurdity of her statement and relief at the success of my rescue mission brings on a coarse chuckle. "Are you sure? I mean, you just met me."

And also, I'm a corporate lawyer, so I don't really get that a lot.

She picks up on my humor and says, "Fine, I'll reserve judgment, but I am pretty sure you just saved my life."

"Yeah," I answer, realizing the enormity of the situation for the first time. "I suppose I did."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Okay, now, if I give you more than one today, do you PROMISE you won't KEEP expecting multiples? I'm tempted to post 3-6 today, as they were all part of the compilation. What do you think? **~BOH**


	4. Introductions

*/*

**SLIPPERY SLOPE**

**4 INTRODUCTIONS**

**/BPOV\**

"So much for my anti-fog goggles," I lament crossly, freeing my vision and situating the useless piece of murky plastic outside my hat. "Don't these people have any standards? I was completely blind!"

"Actually," he answers my rhetorical rant while lifting his own goggles, "they absolutely have a standard of workmanship to which they're bound and if the product is defective, they can be held liable. If you'd been hurt…"

His lips are moving and the rich tone of his voice meets my consciousness, but I don't register much of what he's saying. Despite my precarious predicament, I'm not so dazed that I fail to notice the most alluring set of deep, warm, green eyes I've ever had the pleasure of gazing into at close range.

"Jesus, listen to me," he shakes his head in apology. "You have a near-death experience and I'm delivering a lecture on product liability law. Forgive me?"

He seems to be waiting for some kind of answer, and I'm woefully underprepared._ Who? What? How? _I play the bewildered victim and offer a lame, "I'm sorry, my brain hasn't quite caught up with my skis."

He grins broadly and responds, "No worries. You're probably in shock."

Yes, handsome man who just saved my life, I am most _definitely_ in shock. "God, I'm so rude. I haven't even thanked you yet! Thank you…" I fish shamelessly for his name. I am so lame at this. My inner Alice clucks her tongue and shakes her head in disapproval.

"Edward," he supplies, extending his gloved hand.

The oddity of our meeting strikes me at once. We're two complete strangers, having recently and spectacularly collided, now perched together perilously at the edge of an icy ski trail. I reach for his hand, forgetting momentarily that shifting my weight downhill will set my skis sliding forward. Luckily, he grasps not only my offered hand, but also the rest of my arm, steadying me once again.

"Hey, easy there. No sudden moves, okay…? Sorry, what did you say your name is?"

"I didn't," I answer, righting myself again. I fight off a fleeting desire to just allow myself to fall right into this mysterious man, come what may. He's still supporting my weight and his eyes are questioning. Crap, where were we…_names_! "Bella," I finally add, causing those emerald half-moons to sparkle and crinkle at the edges.

"Nice to meet you, Bella," he smiles. My heart beats an extra thump upon hearing my name cross his lips.

*/*

**|EPOV|**

"The pleasure is all mine," she grins, revealing a perfect smile behind her delicate but bluish lips.

Sidetracked by her soft, grateful brown eyes and forthright manner, I am on the verge of breaking one of the prime directives of ski rescue: get the victim to safety. She's only momentarily out of danger; the problem remains, how will I get the two of us down this mountain?

As if reading my mind, she glances over my shoulder warily and asks, "Not to sound ungrateful or anything, but do you have any sort of plan here?"

"I'm working on it," I answer honestly. "Ski patrol should be waiting for us at the chair lift, just in case," I say with a cringe, not wanting to scare her with the reality of the danger she still faces. "I can flag someone down and ask them to send patrol up here with a stretcher for you, but I have to be real honest. It's treacherous transporting someone down that way on a slope this steep, this busy, and this bumpy." Let's not even mention the ice that's rapidly forming as the afternoon sun hits the surface of the newly dropped snow.

Her hopes of an easy trip down having just been dashed, she comments grimly, "Unfortunately, you sound as if you know what you're talking about."

I nod, "Four years' worth in college and occasional weekends out here since then." Largely due to Emmett's position as Director of the Ski Academy, I've been able to enjoy a unique working relationship with management. Though it's been a couple years since I've actually been able to give up an entire weekend of work and take advantage of our arrangement.

"So you're not just some random guy who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time?"

"No," I chuckle. "I actually ran into you on purpose. I saw you from the lift, and I could see you were headed for trouble."

"Story of my life," she mumbles. "So, you just thought, 'Heck, I may as well throw myself in front of the out-of-control projectile'?"

"Something like that," I grin. "But I'd like to think it was a bit more scientific."

"Hunh, seems more insane than scientific to me, but you certainly won't find me complaining. Well, Mr. Off-duty Ski Patrolman, what's Plan B?"

I flinch as I deliver the bad news, "You're standing on 'em."

"Shit! I was afraid you were going to say that!"

I attempt to maintain an air of confidence I certainly don't feel about our prospects. "I haven't lost a skier yet."

"Yeah, well, have you ever had one as lame as me before? First day ever on skis, lost on a double black diamond?"

"So it really _is_ your first day?" How about reining in the incredulousness, asshole? That is a conversation for another time. "You _are_ a bit of a challenge, Bella," I admit. "But not a challenge I can't meet." I smile in what I hope is encouragement.

"You're honestly suggesting that I ski down this slope?"

"I'll be right in front of you the whole time."

"Yeah, that's what the last guy said," she retorts.

_Ouch_. There's a guy. I hadn't gotten that far in my thinking, but apparently, my heart had already taken a bit of a leap all on its own. Sometimes that rusty old organ still surprises me!

"Well, Bella, I'm not the last guy."

"I can see that," she comments mysteriously.

"If you trust me, and follow my directions, I will get the two of us down the mountain in one piece…well, in two separate pieces…you know what I mean," I fumble awkwardly.

She blows out a huge exhale and comes to a decision. "I'll give it my best shot," she promises.

"That's what I need to hear."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Okay, 5 and 6 are on the heels of this one...


	5. Crossing To Safety

*/*

**SLIPPERY SLOPE**

**5 CROSSING TO SAFETY**

**/BPOV\**

"Here. Trade with me," he says, handing me his very substantial and very clear goggles.

"Are you sure? These are really awful," I answer, proffering the smudgy pair.

"I'm not gonna wear them," he says, tightening the strap around his upper arm. "Okay, listen, Bella, here's how we're doing this. I'm going to stay down slope from you, and if anything bad happens, you're only going to fall as far as my body."

"Oh that's reassuring. So I'm going to take us both out?"

"I'm pretty hard to knock down," he says, with a touch of cocky that I haven't heard as of yet.

"That sounds like a dare," I snark.

His lips curl up slightly, "Not a dare, a promise." Damn those intense green eyes promising me things like putting himself in harm's way for my sake. "Now, when it comes time to turn, I'm going to ski past you, and that's your signal to start your turn. I'll stay to your outside hip, helping you plant your edge. If you slip, you'll only slide as far as my ski. Got it?"

I nod, feeling the tension begin to mount.

"Let's take a practice turn. Count out four mounds to your left. We'll turn around that mogul. Keep your wedge. Just let your ankles roll a touch downhill and that'll be enough to get your skis started. Here we go!" His skis start to slide away from mine, and I have a moment of wild panic.

"Wait! What if I lose you?"

"You let me take care of that, Bella. I promise I'm not going to leave your side."

Okay, okay, okay. I'm relieved to see that my shallow breaths are not causing his goggles to fog up.

"Try not to think about anything beyond your next turn. The hardest part is getting started. You can do this, Bella. Just flatten those skis on the hill."

I heed his advice and try very hard to shut down my thoughts. Rolling my ankles to the right, I feel the tug of gravity and the two of us slowly slide. I count the moguls. 1…2…3…4…and force myself to carve a turn when he slides out to my left.

"Good! That's excellent, Bella! Keep turning…great! Hold up now." He points his skis up the hill and brings us both to a halt. "You did great! All right, same thing, just keep counting to four, I'll slide forward, and you turn. We're going to do that a few times, and then I'll stop again. Deal?"

I nod bravely.

"And…roll," he directs, sliding along to my left. 1…2…3…4…and turn. He continues to shout encouragement and to do exactly as he's promised every step of the way. Four turns in, he pulls us to a halt.

"You're doing fantastically, Bella. How are your legs holding up?"

"I'm okay. But, look how far we still have to go!" The chair lift is a small brown dot at the bottom of this long, vertical slope, and I can see the patchwork of moguls laid out the entire way down. It sickens me.

"Just take it one turn at a time. There's a big cup of hot cocoa waiting for you in the lodge down there."

"And a fire?"

"Yes," he chuckles, "a great, roaring fire."

I have a strong sense that I can't possibly die on the way down this mountain. The universe is simply not so cruel as to bring this man into my life only to end it before we get to share hot cocoa by the roaring fire.

*/*

**|EPOV|**

Miraculously, my plan is working, and we're actually already down the steepest part of the slope, but I have to keep her focused on one turn at a time. "Let's go," I say, pushing off and starting us down again. She still has that moment of intense panic that most new skiers have when their tips are pointed directly down the mountain on the turn. The trick is not to let the fear take control.

She's really doing well, and I praise her generously. After a long but thankfully uneventful hour or so, we're skiing toward the front door of the Sunset Lodge where I had lunch.

"At the risk of freaking you out," I start, "look behind you at the mountain you just skied down."

She looks back over her shoulder and her face is a little paler when she turns back to me. "I think I might be sick."

I'd laugh, but I'm afraid she's serious. "Think about it, Bella. You're going to get to ski school tomorrow, and your instructor is going to ask everyone what they skied after yesterday's lesson. You're gonna be the only one in the bunch to say, 'Goosebumps'."

"I'm not really sure I would consider that skiing. More like assisted sliding."

"Call it whatever you need to, but you got down that mountain on top of your skis. That's a pretty amazing accomplishment!"

I kick out of my bindings and help Bella release her boots. Stacking our skis and poles, I can see that Bella is visibly relieved to have her feet directly back on terra firma without the thin slices of fiberglass between them. "Give me a minute. I need to find ski patrol and tell them you won't be requiring their services." _Not when you've got me_.

"Tell them thank you anyway, please."

"Will do." I find the two guys with the red ski suits and portable gurney waiting by the lift. I thank them kindly for their time and assistance, and they're much relieved to not be needed.

Bella's waiting outside the door for me, having pulled off her hat and my goggles and unzipped her parka. I hadn't fully appreciated her silky, long brown hair earlier, or the slightness of her shoulders. She appears even more delicate and vulnerable without all the layers of protective gear. Her skin has begun to take on a reddish tint from the reflection of the sun's rays off the snow, and she's started to develop a case of goggle face. I'll have to remind her to put on sunscreen before we head back out.

"Are you sure you want to go inside? It's pretty beautiful out here," I offer. The band is playing, the sun is shining, and there's a celebratory vibe that seems to live in the air here.

She pouts adorably and answers, "You promised me cocoa and fire."

"Let's go," I smile and pull open the heavy wood door for her. "Why don't you find us two spots by the fire and I'll go get the drinks? And loosen your boots once you sit down." I watch her start out toward the far end of the room, and an irrational fear passes through me that she'll disappear into the crowd and I won't find her again.

_I don't even know her last name.  
><em>

I wish I could offer her a shot of Bailey's or Peppermint Schnapps, but she's still got to get down the mountain on her own steam. For now, the caffeine and the happy chemicals inherent in the chocolate are going to have to suffice. And the roaring fire, of course. And maybe, just maybe…_me_.

As festive as sitting outdoors may have been, I'm awash with gratitude that Bella chose to sit inside when I catch sight of her. The lunch crowd has thinned, and there's not the usual jockeying for position near the blaze. Bella's entire body is stretched luxuriously along the stone hearth, roughly forming the letter 'M' with planted feet, bent knees, and flattened palms behind her, supporting her upper body. Her face is tipped back serenely, eyes closed, soaking in the warmth, reflections of the glowing flames dancing off her smooth skin. I feel guilty even disturbing her, but figure it would probably feel a little creepy for her to open her eyes and find me staring. I do, however, allow myself a few moments to take in her relaxed, elegant form before interrupting her peace and quiet. She's taken her boots off entirely and made a pile on a nearby chair of her parka, gloves, neck gator and hat. It's just Bella in her black stretch pants and turtleneck and an alpine sweater that starts out creamy near her waist and ends in black at the zipper by her throat with some snowflake design in brown across her chest. Not that I'm looking. Hell, I'm looking.

Clearing my throat conspicuously, I set down the two cups next to her.


	6. Cocoa and Fire

*/*

**SLIPPERY SLOPE**

**6 COCOA AND FIRE**

**/BPOV\**

All is right with the world. I'm alive, miraculously, I'm unscathed, and I am about to be met near this soothing inferno by a man who radiates a warmth all his own. A gentle and kind man who, for some reason, seems to have devoted himself to escorting me safely back to civilization. Not that I have any desire to leave this perfect spot, especially when I hear him politely signal his return.

My eyes blink open to the welcome sight of Edward returning with the hot chocolate. Relieved of the panic and anxiety accompanying our life-threatening trek down the treacherous slope, I can now truly begin to appreciate Edward's otherworldly beauty. He removed his gloves earlier, before he went for the cocoas, uncovering smooth, elegant hands that set my mind to wandering in all sorts of inappropriate directions.

It gets even better, though, because as soon as he sets the cups down, he starts stripping off layers of outerwear. First, he unzips and discards his jacket, revealing a long, muscular build in tight black pants similar to mine, and a royal blue sweater that matches his parka. Without his coat blocking my view of his neck and chin, I can fully grasp the rugged appeal of his scruffy trapezoidal jaw, complete with a Dudley Do-Right-sized cleft on a much prettier chin. Next, he bends forward and unbuckles his boots, exposing the tiniest sliver of lower back between his sweater and the black waistband of his Under Armours. Gah…are they boxer jocks or long underwear? He releases a low, relieved moan as he extracts each foot and gives both shins a rubdown.

Finally, he peels off his wool cap, unfurling a completely unexpected crop of gorgeous reddish-gold hair with the craziest case of hat head I've ever seen. So crazy, in fact, that I start giggling, much to his consternation.

His mouth curls down around the edges into a little frown and he says, "Oh crap. It's really bad, isn't it?" He fruitlessly slaps at the cowlicks and runs both hands through the wild tangle.

I instantly feel terrible. "It's fine," I say, because telling him he's excruciatingly beautiful might be a little bit much.

"It has a mind of its own," he shrugs and shuffles toward the fire, turning his body to face mine and tucking one foot under the opposite knee. He picks up both drinks and hands me mine.

"To a bold and heroic rescue," I toast.

"To a courageous and wildly insane first day on skis," he answers before tapping my cup lightly with his.

*/*

**|EPOV|**

"Mmmm," I respond to the satisfying feel and taste of the hot chocolate. After several minutes of both of us lost in our separate cocoa- and fire-induced musings, I set down my cup and turn my face to the fire. "I don't know why I don't use my fireplace more often at home."

"Pshh! I know why _I_ don't," she answers. "Last time, I forgot to open the flue and the entire 12th Division of the Denver Fire Department ended up in my living room!"

"No shit," I marvel at her honesty. How many girls would share that so easily? "That sounds pretty embarrassing."

"Yes, but…it was worth it." A deep blush covers her face, and I lift my brows expectantly. She supplies the explanation, "One of the firefighters was really cute."

"Oh…your '_guy'_?"

"What?" Her nose crinkles in an effort to understand.

"Is that the 'last guy' you mentioned being separated from on the slopes?" Real smooth, Edward. Let her know you've been mulling that over for the last hour.

"Oh, GOD no! But we did go out a few times. He was really sweet."

Terrific, now there's another guy to compete with. "_Was_?" Past tense, a glimmer of hope.

"Yeah," she sighs. "Turns out he was much younger, and his rose-colored glasses were just a little too thick for me. _Jesus_, I sound cynical. Do I sound too cynical?" she questions me.

"Nah," I answer. "You sound real. Speaking of real, Bella, I have to tell you something you're not going to want to hear."

She pushes herself up to a sitting position and braces herself for bad news. "Okay?"

"You know that chair lift outside?"

"Yeah…?"

"We're taking it up to the top of Powderloaf."

"WHAT? You expect me to go BACK UP THERE?" Her voice is a cross between disbelief and hysteria.

"I don't know why or how, but you skied yourself over to an area of the park called Devil's Basin, and that means that the only trails down from this point are black and blue, which is about how you'll end up if you try skiing down them."

"But you got me down the hardest run on the mountain! Surely, you can get me down some silly intermediate slope! Please, Edward, I can't go back up there again. Don't make me."

She's breaking my heart here. "Okay, look. It's not the most responsible decision for me to make, and it totally goes against my grain to even offer. But if you _really_ can't face going back up to the top one more time, I _will_ get you down this mountain from here. But let me offer you a much smarter, much safer, and undoubtedly more enjoyable alternative. Let me see your trail map and I'll show you what I'm proposing."

"I don't have a trail map."

"You're skiing without a trail map? Jesus, Bella, who is your instructor? I'm going to have Emmett fire his or her ass on the spot tomorrow! I swear to God—"

"Emmett."

"Yeah, _Emmett_. My brother is the Director of the Ski Academy here and every instructor reports directly to him. When he finds out—"

"Emmett IS my instructor, Edward."

"Wow…oh…wow. That sucks. Now I'm gonna have to kick Emmett's ass, and he's got about fifty pounds on me."

She smiles, "Can you really kick Emmett's ass?"

"If I'm really, really, _really_ angry." I need to calm down. I pick up the cocoa and sip down the rest. I've heard that chocolate has soothing qualities. We'll see about that.

"Hey," she says, placing her hand on my arm, "Please don't get hurt on my account. If it makes you feel better, Emmett sent us off today with all kinds of warnings, and I thought I was following all of them. It's not his fault I got separated from my…I don't even know what to call him."

Her _guy_. Ugh. "Okay, look, Bella, this isn't really helping. Let's just focus on the rest of the afternoon. Here's what I suggest: We take this nice sunny chair, pick up Gentle Ben…"

"Gentle Ben? NO, that's how I got stuck on Goosebumps!"

"You really think I'm going to lead you to Goosebumps again? We meander down Gentle Ben to where it picks up Hill of Beans, a beautiful, wide open trail where we can carve some big, slow turns and catch the afternoon sun. I am really close to promising you'd actually enjoy yourself! Come on, Bella, you'll have your very own personal ski instructor. I'll take good care of you."

"You make a good case. Did you say you're an attorney?"

"Not in so many words," I admit, feeling as if she's discovered my Achilles' heel.

She chuckles, "Spoken like a lawyer."

"Does that mean you're going to retract your statement about me not being an asshole?"

"Nope. The record stands. Seriously though, Edward, are you _sure_ you really want to be stuck with me for the rest of the day?"

_Rest of the day, rest of the night, rest of the week…_ "Hmmm," I pretend to ponder. "I suppose I could manage."


	7. Leaving the Fire

*/*

**SLIPPERY SLOPE**

**7 LEAVING THE FIRE**

**/BPOV\**

"Ready?"

He's standing in front of me, all buckled and equipped and covered and zipped. Bye-bye, Ski Lodge Edward. _Le sigh_. I'm still lounging on the hearth in my socks, so I'm pretty sure he can see that I'm far from ready. "Actually, I was thinking about getting another cup of cocoa."

He shakes his head. "I know it's hard, but you've got to just get right back up on that mountain, Bella. Why don't you take a bathroom break, and then we'll head out."

"Okay, Mom," I tease. "Have a seat. Warm your cockles. Cool your jets. I'll be right back."

"Bella, your socks are gonna get…" he calls after me.

"Wet," I finish for him, just as I avoid a huge puddle. He's right again, and I peel off my socks before they get soaked. I'm in no rush to get back out to the chair lift, and I take my sweet old time in the bathroom.

I check the mirror as I wash my hands, fully expecting to see a hideous mop of hair on my head but completely unprepared for the sunburn minus the perfectly formed shape of goggles on my face. I laughed at Edward's hat head, and here I am walking around like an albino raccoon? How could he not tell me? Stuffing my socks in my pocket and stalking back to my stuff, I mull around some choice words to share with Edward.

Except Edward's no longer where I left him. Maybe he went to the bathroom. That makes no sense. Why wouldn't he have walked with me, or passed me on the way back? It seems unlikely, and my hopes for an easy explanation are quickly dashed.

_Fuck! _I cannot believe I let this man slip through my fingers. Such a totally Bella thing to do.

This incredibly hot expert skier literally drops down from the sky to save me, risks life and limb, wastes his whole vacation day practically carrying me down the mountain, then offers up his services as a personal tour guide-slash-private instructor for the rest of the afternoon? Clearly, Edward is not real.

Or if he is real, he has some serious flaw that I don't know about yet. Nobody is that perfect. He doesn't seem to be married or attached, at least, there was no ring, and he's clearly here alone this weekend. Okay, that doesn't necessarily prove anything. Maybe his wife doesn't ski. But why would any woman in her right mind let this man out of her sight for one hour, let alone an entire weekend? That makes no sense. Could he be gay? Oh, please God, let him not be gay. I have to admit, it's entirely possible, maybe even likely. A beautiful single man of his age? Oh, shame on you for stereotyping, Bella Swan. What then? Serial killer? Those glinty green eyes could _easily_ be hiding maimed bodies…

Ugh, enough with the imagination run amok. I glance around the practically empty lodge, and it's clear he's not here. It no longer matters whether he was perfect or not. It is a big, fat, moot point.

Disappointment trumps fear at first, but it's only a matter of minutes before terror grips me. Okay, what was that plan again? Could I execute it by myself? I seriously doubt anyone else in this Devil's Basin area would give up the rest of the day to babysit me. Crap, okay… Gentle Ben…to Field of Dreams? Shit, shit, shit. Focus! Damn, where are those ski patrol boys? Maybe they're having a cup of cocoa somewhere.

I frantically set to work re-outfitting myself. Pulling on my smelly socks is not pleasant, but compared to shoving my feet back into my boots, it's a freaking picnic. How could I forget how uncomfortable these things are on my shins? All right, no time for complaining. I buckle up just like the guy at the rental shop taught me last night. Gloves next…no that doesn't work at all. Hat, stupid goggles—wait a second, these aren't my stupid goggles. These are _Edward's_ goggles! Crap! He left his goggles by accident and took mine. How am I going to return these to him? Right, Emmett. I'll bring them tomorrow and—

"Almost ready?"

I look up and there he is. In all his glory. How is it that he looks even more delicious than when I last saw him? Could it be that I was taking my personal savior for granted before? I will not make that mistake again.

"You're here," I say idiotically. "I mean, where'd you go?" Ugh. _Desperate much?_

"My… _cockles_…were starting to get overheated by the fire. I walked outside for a minute to get some fresh air. How'd you manage with your boots?" he asks, sinking to his knees to check. "Stand up and lean forward?"

He checks a few settings and gives his seal of approval. He cringes for a second, pushing off the hearth to stand.

"You okay?"

"Oh, yeah. My knees don't really appreciate the abuse anymore, but I figure a few times a year, they can deal."

"You should come over and use the Jacuzzi in the Mountain Inn. Oh, what am I saying? You probably have your own Jacuzzi wherever you're staying or at least I'm sure your brother does and now I'm babbling."

*/*

**|EPOV|**

…_And_ she's blushing, which is completely awesome. Because now both of us are thinking about sitting next to each other in a Jacuzzi, in our bathing suits. And I can't help but wonder if hers is one piece or two. Alas, we have skiing to do, and the daylight hours are waning. Dusk is a dangerous time of day to ski, no matter how good your goggles are.

"Why don't we revisit that later? We should hit the trail."

"Ho ho ho. All right, I'm good to go."

"Really? No more cocoa? No more bathroom runs?"

"Nope. But speaking of the bathroom, were you planning on telling me about this lovely imprint I'm rocking on my face?"

"Oh, yeah. Here, sorry. I meant to offer you sunscreen," I apologize, handing her the tube.

"Okay, but you could've told me I look positively repulsive!"

"Well, how am I supposed to know this isn't what you normally look like, Bella? I just met you, remember?"

She narrows her eyes and gives me a playful punch in the arm. "HEY!"

I chuckle at the first sign of vanity I've seen from her all day. "Come on, you can even out your tan on the chair lift.

For the first time today, I no longer qualify for the singles lane, a little fact that my buddy Bart is quick to point out when he sees us approaching. "Well, hey there, Ed. Looks like you're a 'duo' now."

"So it appears," I play along. "Table for two?"

I'd never pull the friend card for a private chair in the crush of the day, but it's getting toward the late part of the afternoon, and there's almost no wait. He gives me a nod and an encouraging wink.

"Okay, Bella," I instruct. "You remember how to do this." But I remind her anyway, "After this chair swings around, shuffle forward right behind it and wait at the red line. Ready?...Go!"

At the last minute, her skis cross behind her and she gets jammed up. "Hold your poles out. I've got you," I tell her calmly, and I coast her easily into position in front of the approaching chair.

"Poles in your right hand, look over your left shoulder," I remind her as the chair swoops around and knocks her legs out from under her. She collapses into the chair with a loud sigh.

"Are you in?" I chuckle, as the chair carries us up and away.

"Yes, but God, was that stressful. I thought skiing was supposed to be relaxing."

"It'll get easier. I promise. Here comes the bar," I warn, pulling the heavy chrome bar over our heads and across our laps, providing a resting place for our feet.

I lean back, tip my face to the sun, and breathe deeply. "I love spring skiing. The experience just isn't as much fun when your ass freezes to the seat and your whiskers grow icicles."

"I know, right? I totally hate icicles on my whiskers."

I open one eye and regard Bella, who is giving me a mischievous grin right now. "I thought you were gonna even out your tan," I remind her. She lifts my goggles up onto her hat, closes her eyes, and turns her face to the sun.

"Edward, I hope you know how much I appreciate everything you've done for me today," she says without moving.

"Are you kidding? You saved me from a totally boring day of skiing by myself and probably doing worse damage to my body."

"Worse than being slammed into by a flying girl?"

"Yeah," I smile, even though she can't see me. "I can think of plenty of things worse than being slammed into by a flying girl." _Especially when the girl is you._

"I know I've been a bit whiny, and I want you to know it's not who I usually am."

I turn my face toward her, but her eyes are still closed tightly. "Bella, for what it's worth, I think you've held up amazingly well in the face of some extreme circumstances."

She laughs, "So have you."

"Oh yeah? What are _my_ extreme circumstances?" I turn my upper body towards her in the chair.

"Being stuck with a lame ass beginner all day."

A small smile creeps into the corners of her mouth. She's beautiful and sweet and so different. And it seems to me, she's fishing a little bit.

"I'd say you're more of a _kick_ ass beginner."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** _I decided to make sure that EVERYONE got something new today. So those of you who DID buy the Texas Fires compilation, this one is especially for you! Hope you're enjoying Heroward and Beginnerella! ~BOH_


	8. Lift

*/*

**SLIPPERY SLOPE**

**8 LIFT**

**/BPOV\**

"Hmmm, I can live with that."

It's dead silent for a long while. I focus on the low hum of the wheel at the top of our chair that tethers us to the cable and moves us along, and I try not to consider what happen if that little wheel decides to let go of us. No, that's not a happy thought. There's a low rumble as we approach each support pole, a little rough bounce accompanied by a louder buzz, then it's just a peaceful whir again until the next one.

If not for the fact that we have to ski down this mountain once the ride ends, this chair lift could be a completely pleasurable way to pass the time, just the two of us above it all. I open one eye to see what he's doing.

Damn, he's still gorgeous. And he's applying ChapStick. Gee, thanks for focusing my attention on your rosy, supple, beautiful lips.

He's relaxed and comfortable. And yet, his eyes scan the slopes without resting.

"Can you turn that off?"

He's not only surprised that I've spoken, but also by what I've asked. His eyes click to mine and he answers, "I'm not sure. I've never tried."

"And I'm eternally grateful for that. It's just…"

He cocks his brow, waiting.

"Well, maybe I don't feel like sharing you."

I think my boldness surprises him. Hell, it surprises me. But something happened to me back there in the lodge, when I thought I'd lost him. I'm old enough to know that real life heroes just don't come around every day. Most of us are lucky if we ever meet one in our lifetime. And one who looks like he just finished a cover shoot for GQ Magazine is an even rarer occurrence. I can't even calculate the odds of that exact extraordinary person slamming into me on the top of a mountain.

"It looks to me like we're alone up here," he says. The way he says 'alone' sends a shiver down my spine.

"Only till someone down there gets into trouble." Oops, that sounded a little pouty.

A tiny smile plays on his lips. "So…what? I'm gonna jump off the lift and leave you here?"

I shrug. "Maybe you can't resist the temptation to save someone in trouble."

"I'm pretty sure I've filled my quota for the day, Bella," he says, still amused by my jealousy at an imaginary situation.

I sit up straighter in the seat now, issuing him a challenge. "Are you telling me that if you saw someone in big ass trouble down there right now, you wouldn't rush down to save them the first chance you got?"

He shifts his body towards me in the chair. "I can't think of any scenario where I would leave your side, Bella. I'm not saying I wouldn't call ski patrol or wake those clowns in the lift booth to handle the situation, but leave you?" He shakes his head. "No way."

Hunh, good answer.

*/*

**|EPOV|**

She looks skeptical.

"You know, I won't be so inclined to scan the slopes if I'm distracted up here," I say.

"Distracted _how_?" she asks, tilting her head a bit.

"You could entertain me."

She guffaws. "Sure. How about a tap dance?"

"Yeah, that would work," I smile. "Do you know how?"

She guffaws loudly. "You may not have noticed, Edward, but I barely stand upright! Dancing is a little beyond my pay grade."

"Maybe you never had the right partner."

She considers my words and responds, "I suppose a guy who can keep me on my skis on a double black diamond trail could probably manage a flat dance floor pretty well."

"I've been known to bust a move," I say with a small wink.

"I wouldn't mind seeing that," she grins.

Now, this is getting interesting. "Well, I do know a place…what are your après ski plans?"

"My fantasies haven't extended beyond the Jacuzzi, but I assume Alice will have one of her famous ideas about what we need to be doing."

Oh, a package deal. I feel the smile fading off my face, but I can't help it. I guess I don't like sharing either. And it's not just Alice. There's that other guy as well.

I haven't been able to formulate a good answer, so it suits me just fine when I notice we're at the top. "Well, Bella, we've reached the end of the line," I tell her, preparing to lift the bar. "Ready?"

"Achhh. I guess," she answers dejectedly.

"That's the spirit," I chuckle. "Scoot forward, poles in your right hand...ski off to your left. I'm right behind you."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** _Thanks to everyone who's reading and pimping this little story! So happy you're enjoying HEROward and BUNNYella. Nope, that doesn't work either_. *smh* ~BOH


	9. Going Down

*/*

**SLIPPERY SLOPE**

**9 GOING DOWN**

**/BPOV\**

I coast to an uncrowded spot and feel relief when Edward's royal blue parka slides up next to me. I find his presence enormously comforting, and yet there's a tension growing between us. We've both thrown out hints about getting together later, and both have been left swirling in the thin mountain air between us.

And now, it's clear that semi-flirty Edward-lite stayed on the lift, leaving no-nonsense ski patrol Edward here on the ground with me. Probably just as well, I'm not sure I could concentrate with that other guy around.

"Mind if I get a picture of you folks?"

I panic, realizing the mountain's photographer assumes we're a couple. "Oh, we're not—"

"Don't worry, there's no obligation to buy anything."

"But," I start again.

Edward cuts in over me, "Sure." He leans in and whispers, "Trust me, he won't stop until he gets the shot. Just smile and do as he says and it'll all be over in a few seconds."

"Can I get you to face your skis the same direction? That's it…now move in a little bit closer…poles in your right hand…no squinting…"

This guy is starting to get on my nerves. But just as he lifts the camera to his face, Edward's left arm comes around my waist and pulls me in. _Ahhhhh_. Take your time, cameraman.

"That's beautiful, guys. One more? Perfect! Great, here's your number," he says, handing Edward a business card. "Enjoy the rest of your afternoon, folks!"

He drops his arm, saying, "See? Painless."

_Wait, Mr. Photographer, come baaaaack! _

Ugh, the moment of truth, no more stalling.

"Okay, Bella, take a minute to check all your equipment. Are your boots tight enough? Gloves on tight? Goggles? Poles?"

"Check, check, check, check. Let's go already."

He chuckles. "All right then. Follow me!"

He takes the lead for the first time and models a beautifully carved turn, albeit at the beginner level. I follow in his wake, not allowing my eyes to leave his back for a second. If I lose him now, I'm dead in the water. He makes several more turns, looking back regularly to make sure I'm right on his tail. And oh, what a tail it is…

Watching Edward cut through the snow is like watching a figure skater glide effortlessly around the rink. Obviously the bunny slope offers him no semblance of a challenge, and the wedge he's sporting for educational purposes is nowhere near as graceful as his normal parallel position, but the fact that he's doing this all for me endears him to me all the more.

Edward makes one last turn before sliding to a rest. I follow his marks in the snow, rounding my turn with elegance, if I do say so myself. Attempting a graceful stop at his side, I catch the right tip underneath the left, making stopping impossible. As I sail past his face, I catch the shift from relaxed to anxious, and he takes off next to me.

*/*

**|EPOV|**

"Uncross your skis!" _No shit, asshole_, how is that helping? "Lift your left foot," I yell uphill to her, staying with her on this extraneous adventure. I see her struggling to follow my advice, and when she finally does lift her left leg, the results are not as desired. Her right ski points itself straight down the mountain and pulls her off balance, the left ski now crossing behind her and sending her literally into a tailspin. I stick with her, but at this point, I'm just damage control. She is going down.

I hear her panicked wails as she spins round and round, and I'm entirely helpless. I'm hoping at least one of her bindings will pop open before she gets hurt. Sure enough, she loses one ski, and she's able to plant her boot into the snow firmly enough to slow her descent. The other ski pops off, sending her to the ground in a tangle of flying poles and loud curses. I plant myself ahead of her downhill roll, and we skid together for about ten yards before she finally comes to a rest at my feet.

Dropping my poles and pulling off my gloves, I fish her face out and brush off as much ice and snow from her cheeks and chin as I can. "Jesus, Bella, are you all right?" Her eyes seem normal and her neck appears unharmed, thank God.

She wiggles both legs and arms and seems surprised that everything is still attached. She seems a bit dazed, understandably, and she takes a look uphill, where her equipment is littered along the slope. She drops her head back into the soft snow and starts to laugh.

Laughter's good. I give her a minute to gather herself.

"So, how'd you like my tap dance?" she asks, sending herself into a fresh crop of giggles.

"Very graceful," I answer appreciatively. "Can you stay here while I gather your things?"

"Edward," she says, gesturing along her half-buried body. "Where am I gonna go?"

She doesn't want to know. "If you start to slide when I move, dig in your boots."

I move tentatively, making sure she's stable. As quickly as I can, I hustle back up the mountain to gather her skis and poles. Returning to her side, I find her reluctant to get up. It's a tough sell, getting that skier who's just had a yard sale to muster the courage to get back up on the horse that just threw her.

I offer her my hands, and she cautiously allows me to pull her up. Cringing when I see icicles clinging to her hair, I do my best to brush her off and de-ice her. She should really learn how to do this by herself, but we don't have a lot of time to mess around. I don't want to freak her out, but the sun is slipping slowly lower in the late afternoon sky, and we need to get on our way. Emmett can teach her technique tomorrow. I'm about getting her to the bottom.

"Put your hands on my shoulders," I direct, laying her skis sideways between us and setting the bindings. "Okay, snap your right boot in. Good, now dig in that uphill edge while you pull your left foot onto its ski."

Her right foot starts to slide and she falls forward into me. "I've got you," I say, grabbing her by the waist and holding tightly. "Try again."

I feel the deep breath she takes before deciding to trust me, and she plants her boot into the binding. Click. And we're good to go.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** _I am really enjoying all the wonderful stories about readers' first (and in many cases-last!) trips down a ski slope! If you want some entertainment, check out some of the reviews! And yes, this happened to me, in large part, on my very first day on skis in college. I finally forgave the fool that took me to the top of Mt. Killington on Day One, and a few years later, I actually married him! _**~BOH**


	10. The Bottom

*/*

**SLIPPERY SLOPE**

**10 THE BOTTOM**

**/BPOV\**

Hill of Beans gives way to Easy Rider, a gentle trail that leads us through a tree-lined area, where the soft shushing of our two sets of skis is all that disturbs the quiet around us. For a short time, we're alone in this little bubble, and I feel myself relaxing, and dare I say, enjoying the experience. I've improved my technique, and this time, when Edward pulls off to the side, I turn and stop next to him like a pro. Well, a beginner pro.

"You've been skiing beautifully, Bella. Why don't you lead off, and I'll follow you? Stop whenever you need a break."

I'm not only losing my focal point, but I'm also losing my eye candy. As I push off, his intense gaze heats me from behind, and somehow, I feel even safer. Unlike my brief trip with James, I feel tethered to Edward in a way that I know won't result in our getting separated.

Within the security of his protective care, I stretch myself a bit, picking up a little more speed and taking shorter cuts across the slope. As we exit the woodsy area, Easy Rider spills into the broad expanse of the base lodge area, and we're just two people entering the crush of skiers ending their long day on the mountain.

Nearing the base of the mountain is bittersweet. A large part of me sings with relief that I can soon unlock myself from the lengths of fiberglass that served as both prison and transport for the last five hours of my life. And despite a few inevitable bruises from a fall here and there, I am largely unscathed from my unexpected journey.

But I feel our loss of privacy as a tangible and unpleasant force. And I fear that reaching the bottom may signal the end of whatever this has been with Edward. On the one hand, our shared experience was incredibly intense; but on the other, we're still complete strangers. I realize that we don't even know each other's last names, though I'm comforted that through Emmett, I'd be able to reinitiate contact with Edward, should I get up the courage to do so.

The base is a festive spot, similar to Sunset Lodge, but on a communal scale. Music blasts outward from the lodge, weary skiers of all ages and levels unbuckle their uncomfortable boots and celebrate a successful day on the slopes, and friends congregate for the merriment of après-ski. I pull to a halt near the ski rack and Edward is right behind me.

"Well, you made it down the mountain!" he says proudly.

"I had an excellent guide," I gush.

"True enough," he agrees, "but you should feel really good about the way you skied it. Especially the second half when I let you lead. I knew you'd go faster if you were in control."

"Pshh, not sure how 'in control' I was, but yeah, it felt really great."

"Emmett's gonna be blown away tomorrow morning when he sees how advanced you are. You're going right to the head of the class."

I feel the hot blush come over my cheeks, which reminds me…

"Here, I almost forgot. Your goggles…thank you. Your face must be frozen."

He ungloves one hand and runs his fingers over his scruff. I am so jealous of his fingers right now. "Nah, I'm fine. I could use a little sun to cover up my office pallor."

He switches goggles with me and says, "I'll take mine back, but you should really go return yours to the store in the morning and make them give you a new pair. These are crap."

"Thank you, Counselor." Stalling…keeping him here.

Suddenly, the concept of going our separate ways fills me with gloom, and I simply can't let him slip away. But how long can I hold him with this aimless small talk? _Take the plunge, Bella_. _What have you got to lose_?

*/*

**|EPOV|**

"Edward, I know it's not nearly enough, but can I at least buy you a drink and say a proper thank you?"

"I'd love that. But…what about your friends?"

She shrugs. "I guess they'll find me when they find me." Her smile widens, and mine follows suit. She's not going out of her way to let anyone know where she is, and I have half a mind to take her as far away from here as I can, but I tamp down my greed.

"Let's get these skis off!"

"That is by far the most wonderful thing I've heard all day."

Ten minutes later, we're situated at an outdoor table, our boots unbuckled, coats unzipped, and hats removed once again. Bella's ordered a hot apple toddy and I've got a cold Budweiser. She's noticeably more relaxed than she's been all day, even before the alcohol starts working its magic on her.

"So do you live in the area?" I ask.

She nods, "Denver. What about you?"

"Boulder."

"Born and raised here?" she asks.

"No. I'm from the Northeast. It's kind of Emmett's fault I settled out here," I admit, though saying it out loud, I realize it's rather lame that I followed my little brother's trajectory rather than forging one for myself. "I figured I could do what I do anywhere, and he convinced me that this was a really fine place to do it."

"It…being lawyering?"

"Yeah," I chuckle. "Lawyering."

"What kind of law?"

"Corporate litigation, stock offerings, M&A…the exciting stuff," I say with a derisive eye roll at my life.

She pulls her drink to her lips, watching me, and sets her mug back down. Her tongue makes a long swipe across her lower lip that makes me want to jump across the table and retrace its path with my own.

"It doesn't sound like your job makes you very happy," she observes.

I sit back in my seat and pick at the label around the neck of my beer bottle.

"It's none of my business," she offers quickly. "Sorry."

"Please, don't be. I guess, I just don't really like to think about the fact that I'm not where I wanted to be at this point in my life." Okay, wow. _How_ many beers have I had? Dude, easy on the confessional. She's not your priest; she's a girl, and one you just met at that. And I seriously doubt she'll appreciate you oozing your midlife crisis all over happy hour.

"Where did you want to be?" she asks, warm eyes offering understanding.

I allow my eyes to get lost in hers, and in doing so, I permit myself to believe that she sincerely wants to know me. And I share with her what I've barely been able to admit to myself, starting with a great exhale.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: _Ahhh, apres-ski begins. Now before anyone yells at me about ball-less Slopeward or wimpy BellaBunny, I'd like to remind you that both of them knew she'd be seeing his brother the next morning. K? KEA posts tomorrow (Thursday). _**~BOH**


	11. Day Jobs

*/*

**SLIPPERY SLOPE**

**11 DAY JOBS**

**/BPOV\**

"I entered law school with such lofty ideals. I was going to be the one to take the 'High Moral Ground'," he explains with air quotes, "…save the world, defend the innocent and downtrodden. After I graduated, I took a job with the Public Defender's office. For a while, I thought I was living my dream. I was enormously successful…oh shit, that sounded really arrogant, didn't it?"

I smile and shake my head, so grateful he's decided to share so much and not the least bit surprised that he'd be good at it. "Go on."

"Well, it turns out, I was an enabler. I mean, defending the accused is not supposed to be an enterprise where your goal is to cultivate repeat customers, know what I mean? 'Hey, Cullen, get me off again, like last time.'"

"Cullen," I repeat, his last name dropping off my tongue before I can catch it.

"Oh. Yeah," he confirms, absently. "The worst part was when young adults would come through. Sure, a few really _were_ innocent, but the rest…? How is it helping someone to relieve them of the consequences of their actions? I actually started to hate myself."

I have seen so much of this kind of burn out in my job. My heart breaks for him; I truly understand how it feels to desperately want to be the solution, only to discover you might actually be part of the problem. I obviously don't know him well, but from everything I've seen, it's clear that he's far from deserving of this self-loathing.

"Oh, Edward. That must've been a terrible place to be." If he weren't holding his hands so far away from me, I wouldn't be able to curb my impulse to draw them between mine and offer him some physical comfort.

"So…I figured I may as well at least use my education to make some money, i.e., _I sold out_," he practically spits the distasteful words out. "I succumbed to the headhunters' tempting calls and stepped onto the treadmill at a big firm, garnered all kinds of positive feedback from the muckety-mucks, heard I was 'being groomed', and next thing you know I'm a partner. Voila, here I sit. The Great American Success Story." He's speaking toward his beer bottle by the end of his tirade.

"Not where you wanted to be," I repeat his evaluation from earlier, and he looks up, as if surprised that I'm here. Maybe he was musing to himself the whole time, or not really expecting an answer.

Our server comes by and Edward asks if I want another. I'm so thrilled that we haven't yet been discovered, but one hot toddy is enough. "I'll have what he's drinking, but make mine lite," I tell her, and he orders himself a second.

Edward looks at me long and hard before saying, "I can't believe I just told you all that. I haven't even admitted most of that to myself before. You must've done some kind of voodoo on me."

I give him what I hope is a sympathetic smile, and say, "I don't think there was black magic involved. I'm pretty sure I was just listening to you."

"Nah," he smiles, "it was magic. What's your secret gift, Bella?"

Damn, the way those green eyes bore into my soul; it's as if he can see right inside me and know my secrets. I can't think of a single reason to hide myself from him. "I'm a social worker."

His smile grows, and he nods knowingly. "I knew it was something like that. It had to be. I had it narrowed down to social worker or youth minister, and you blew that one out of the water with your choice language on the mountain."

"Hey! That's not fair!" I retort, with feigned offense. "I think even a woman of the cloth would've totally lost her shit up there!"

"Nope," he counters. "That potty mouth is a dead giveaway. So what kind of social work do you do?"

I cross my arms and try to give him a hard time, but it's just ridiculous to even pretend to be angry. He is so goddamn adorable.

"I'm a case manager at Big Brother/Big Sister of Denver."

"For real?" His smile seems a mile wide. "Is that as altruistic as it sounds?"

*/*

**|EPOV|**

Her eyes search the sky, and even though the sun is setting now, I can easily make out her warm blush at my question.

Finally, she answers, "No, I'm in it for the money."

Her answer catches me off guard, and the beer in my throat slides down the wrong pipe. I sputter and cough while she worries over me. I hold up a hand and let her know I'm okay but just need a minute. This episode ends ungracefully with choked out laughter. "Jesus, next time I'll need a little warning before you come out with one of your zingers, please,"

"Sorry," she apologizes sheepishly. "But I'm not sorry I made you laugh, just that the timing was bad."

"One of life's greatest inequities. Social workers and teachers making less than lawyers and hedge fund managers. The first clear sign that civilization is about to take a gigantic header off the nearest high cliff."

Bella spreads her hands out palms-up and draws her shoulders to her ears, acknowledging the problem but admitting helplessness. Our server brings our drinks and clears away the empties. I'm so delighted that I've still got her here alone, and that we can have this conversation.

"Please tell me at least, that you leave work every night with the satisfaction of knowing that you've done something worthy in this world."

Her face falls and she drops her hands to her lap. "I really wish I could, Edward. I mean, don't get me wrong, the agency does amazing work. Truly, amazing. The kids who get matched aren't just success statistics to me. I _know_ them. I see what the relationships do for their lives. And those are the good days…"

"But?" And here comes the second shoe. _Thud!_

"There's this 13-year-old boy named Miguel who comes to my office a few times a week at lunch time. His father died of colon cancer last winter-totally preventable, but, ugh…that's another sad story you don't want to hear. Anyway, Miguel's mother works three jobs to pay off their hospital bills, leaving him to care for his three little sisters. He's like a little man in a kid's body. It's eerie sometimes…" she trails off.

"And you can't find a match for him?"

"Not for Miguel or the other 150 kids on the waiting list. How do you balance that kind of disappointment every day with the success I know we have with every family we touch?"

It's rhetorical, but she looks at me pleadingly for some kind of answer I certainly don't possess.

Softly, in a defeated voice, she adds, "I'm not sure how much more I can take. But how can I not keep trying?"

"Damn, that is not what I was hoping to hear," I answer, deeply saddened, not just for her sake, but the whole system in general.

"Oh my God, Bella! You're okay!" squeals a loud voice behind me. That was _REALLY _not what I was hoping to hear.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** _So much for uninterrupted bliss! And speaking of interruptions...Born is leaving for a mini-vacation tomorrow morning and I'm not exactly sure where and when I'll have internet between Friday and Tuesday. I'll post SS when I can, but may not be able to reply to reviews on these chapters while I'm away. You can be sure I WILL read and crack up over each one! You can always PM if you miss me too much! _**~BOH**


	12. Interlopers

*/*

**SLIPPERY SLOPE**

**12 INTERLOPERS**

**/BPOV\**

I knew it wouldn't last. The only surprising thing is that she didn't track me down earlier today, a fact for which I am now extraordinarily grateful. My eyes flick to Edward and I sense a stiffening of his entire being, from the set of his mouth, to his shoulders, to the very last joints of his fingers, which are now white against the bottle. He's a man preparing for an onslaught. Smart man, this lawyer.

"What _happened_ to you?" Alice plows on, rushing at me with outstretched arms. I accept her chilly embrace, and I almost feel guilty when she adds, "I've been looking _everywhere_ for you! Why didn't you answer any of my calls?"

Peering around her tiny shoulders, I watch Edward draw on his beer. "My phone must've died," I answer lamely. "Jesus, Bella, I was starting to think the worst!"

"Alice," I slither out of her embrace, "I want you to meet somebody." She pulls back and catches my eye, and I give her a very pointed stare.

"Oh! Oh, shit! I'm sorry, I didn't even…oh crap." She finally turns around to acknowledge Edward's presence.

"Alice, this is Edward, the man who got me down the mountain."

She does a 180-degree turn and pulls off her glove in the process. Offering her hand, she gushes, "Oh, Edward, I can't thank you enough. I was worried sick about Bella. When James came down without her, I thought…well, I thought the worst. And here she is, and here you are, and well, you're so…I'm so goddamn happy to meet you."

Edward takes her hand, but while she's talking, his eyes click to mine, as if to ask, 'Is this person for real?' And when she finally stops yapping, he responds, "Oh, um…nice to meet you, too?"

She pulls up a chair, not that we invited her, but I suppose common courtesy would eventually have demanded it. The server is over in a shot, and Alice orders a martini while pulling off her outer layers. Edward simply watches her, amazed at the level of activity Alice manages to engage in, even when sitting down.

Clearly, Alice has not failed to recognize the inescapable fact of Edward's beauty, but she seems oblivious to the vibe between us. She presses him, "You've got to tell me how you delivered Bella to safety!"

"Well," he obliges, "First I slammed into her on purpose going about twenty miles per hour. Then, we snowplowed our way down Goosebumps and Intensive Care. After that, we took Devil's Quad back up—,"

She throws back her head and starts laughing. "Oh my God, Bella, where did you find this guy? He's _hilarious!"_

Edward and I look at each other and shrug. He looks a whole lot less happy now that Alice is here, but that's nothing compared to his response when James shows up at our table.

*/*

**|EPOV|**

I'll readily admit that I was predisposed to hate this guy before I ever laid eyes on him, but when he shows up at our table and I see his freaking pony tail, I swear I almost snap the neck right off my Bud.

"Alice, you found her!" he says with a large dose of relief, stepping into the other spot between us, across from Alice.

I note happily that he doesn't greet Bella the same way as Alice, which is probably lucky for both of us, because I don't think I could stand to watch this guy put his hands on her.

"Bella, I am SO sorry we got separated. I turned around and you were just gone!"

"It's okay, James—" Bella starts, letting him off the hook.

I stand too quickly, knocking my chair to the ground behind me. "I beg to differ vehemently on that."

"Who are _you_?" James asks. Then, as if my answer wouldn't matter, he turns to Bella and asks, "Who is _he_?"

But I don't give Bella a chance to answer. "I'm the guy who found the girl you abandoned at the top of a double black diamond run. Have you even _heard_ of the Skiers' Responsibility Code?"

"Yeah, dude, I've heard of it. And I didn't abandon her. She got _lost_."

"So, let me see if I've got this straight. You expected a skier with a total of three hours' experience to keep up with you at the busiest intersection on the mountain in the crush of after- lunch traffic? That is a brilliant argument."

"Hey, man, just what the hell gives you the right to judge me?"

"Oh, I don't know, how about the fact that you almost got somebody killed today? Is that good enough for you?"

"You know what? You're starting to sound an awful lot like a guy who's looking for a fight."

"Edward…" I hear Bella warn, but I'm heated now. This guy's apology didn't begin to cover the wrongs he inflicted, and I'm not about to back down.

"You are _way_ smaller than my little brother and you're making me really, really angry right now."

"Dude," James calls me again, "Did you seriously just threaten to have your _little_ _brother_ come and beat me up? Is there something wrong with you?" He puffs up his chest and regards me with a menacing stare, mixed with a touch of confusion.

"What? No! I—" Oh hell, I'm acting like an ass. This guy is bringing out the very worst in me. What am I going to do, beat him up? I need to get the fuck out of here, right now. Before I do or say something I'll really regret. I shake my head, more at my own weakness than anything else, and bend over to gather my belongings.

"Alice, it was a pleasure to meet you, and Bella…" Fuck, our time together is going to just end like this? It has to, for now.

Bella pushes out of her seat and looks at me across the table, her eyes filled with regret. "Edward…thank you. For everything."

"You're welcome, and thanks for the drinks." I tell her. "Please be safe tomorrow."

"Don't worry," Alice pipes up. "I won't let her out of my sight." My eyes don't leave Bella, until I replace my chair and leave the table.


	13. Apres

*/*

SLIPPERY SLOPE

**13 APRÈS **

**/BPOV\**

I can't believe he left, just like that. Literally, my savior all day long, then poof! He's suddenly gone! I guess I have to give him credit for sticking with me all day; nobody said he had to give up his night, too. He's probably going dancing tonight at that 'place he knows', and a guy like Edward is bound to be in hot demand. What could he ever possibly want with me?

Ahhhh, sigh, I sink back into the Jacuzzi and alternate my various achy muscles in front of the jets. If I'd never gotten separated from James today, who knows? Maybe I'd be in the guy's lap right now, inches from his ponytail. If I'd never met Edward, who knows? Maybe instead of being repulsed by the beady-eyed look James is giving me from across the water right now, I'd find his gaze alluring? Who knows?

Point is, I met Edward. And James is no Edward.

_Edward's gone, Bella. _All right, well, I managed my life before he came along, and I'll manage just fine now.

"Come on, Bella, we have an 8:30 reservation at Saltz."

"Fine, I'm a prune anyway." I heft myself up the steps, studiously ignoring the way James ogles the bare skin exposed by my bikini.

"See you guys at the restaurant," Alice calls merrily, as we wrap ourselves in the fluffy towels provided by the hotel.

My heart's not in the hair drying, makeup application, or pulling on the new outfit picked especially for this occasion, but I'm trying. Not good enough for Alice.

"Bella, are you gonna snap out of this or waste what's left of your vacation? I get that you had a rough day, but you're fine. No broken bones or concussions, and James still seems interested."

"Alice, ugh…just, ugh. I am _so_ not interested in that guy."

"All right, all right. There are other fish on the mountain. What about that guy Derek? He's pretty cute."

"Alice, did you not get a good look at Edward?" Okay, my frustration got the better of me there.

"Yeah, I saw him all right. He's cute. So, why'd you let him get away?"

"Did you see me _let_ him do _anything_? He got up and walked. On his own two feet. He obviously wasn't interested. What was I supposed to do?"

"Jeez, Bella. I don't know…follow him? Call out, 'Hey gorgeous man who saved my life, don't leave!'"

"Shit. I am so lame, Alice. I don't know how to do that stuff."

"Did you at least get his last name, y'know, so you could send him flowers or something?"

"Flowers? Who sends a guy flowers?"

"It's just an expression."

"Never heard of it."

"Will you cut it out? You didn't get the name, did you?" She is so disgusted with me now.

"As a matter of fact, I did," I answer. "Besides, his brother just happens to be my ski instructor."

Her whole face lights up, "Well, there you have it then! You'll get his number tomorrow and start sexting him. If you're lucky, you can hook up tomorrow night."

"Alice, _Jeez_, you're incorrigible!"

*/*

**|EPOV|**

"Stop trying to take care of her," I chide myself, laying my skis across my shoulder and deliberately turning away from the rack where hers are stored, where I'm pretty sure she won't be able to find them whenever it is that she decides to leave with her less than deserving friends. "Like you said earlier, Edward, you already filled today's quota. She can take it from here."

The success of the day and pleasure of spending the afternoon in relatively carefree downhill motion with Bella are practically obliterated by the way things ended at the table. I kick at a large chunk of ice in my way, frustrated by my hasty exit. But what choice did I really have?

We were finished anyway. What would a tireless do-gooder type want with the likes of a guy who chose money and success over his ideals long ago? Especially one who can't control his temper?

Stowing my skis and boots in the storage closet outside my room, I pull off my gloves and locate my room key in the depths of my inside pocket, along with my cell phone. A small, grey business card pops out and flutters to the floor.

_What the…?_ 'Summit Photo' the card reads, with the business hours listed below. If I hurry, I can make it there before they close. I slip into my Gore-Tex boots, which feel like slippers after a long day in ski boots. As I walk briskly back to the base lodge area, an inner conflict rages.

The half of me that thinks I should back off is not at all pleased with the half that's decided to go and ogle her picture. "Tough shit," I growl, garnering a strange look from the couple that happened to walk by during my outburst.

It's been years since I've actually been through the door of this place. The commercialism of the whole enterprise is pretty tough to take, but you can't argue with the quality of the photos. I consult my card for the number and sift through the hundreds of smiling faces lined up along the walls. Number 247…there we are.

Shit, _seriously_? We look like every other happy couple taped to this board. It's actually ridiculous how happy we look. I stare at the picture, noting how my bulky glove rests at her waist, fingertips curling in slightly, seeking purchase there. And if I'm not mistaken, she's leaning into me, in a way not entirely warranted by the light pressure of my arm.

"May I help you?"

"No, thanks," I tell her, handing her back the card and pushing outside into the cold. No sooner does the door shut behind me, then I turn straight around and march right back in. The salesgirl is taking down our photos, preparing to dispose of us.

"Wait," I surprise her. "I changed my mind. Could I have one of those magnifier key chain things?"

"Of course," she smiles. "That'll be $23.99."

"For that little…? Whatever…you know what? Make it two, please."

I have a couple more stops on my way back to the room, and just as I insert the key, Emmett's ringtone barges into my musings. "Hey, Em."

"Hey, big bro. How was your day on the slopes?"

"Interesting," I tell him simply. "I met one of your students."

"Shit, Edward, were you cruising the bunny slopes again?"

"Pshhh. No, Emmett. _She_ was cruising Devil's Basin."

"WHAT THE FUCK? One of my newbies from this morning? You have got to be shitting me!"

Emmett has a way about him that is infectious, and before long, I'm smiling, almost against my will. "Why don't I tell you about it over dinner?"

"All right. Meet me at Triple Diamond at 7?"

"Sure." Emmett's early schedule suits me fine. I'm exhausted by the time my hot apple cobbler arrives and sound asleep by 10.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **_YAY for wifi! No, I wasn't planning on leaving you all hanging in that angst all weekend. Come ON, guys...it's ME!_ **xxx ~BOH**


	14. Buddy

*/*

SLIPPERY SLOPE

**14 BUDDY**

**/BPOV\**

"Good morning, Bellabunny," Emmett sings out when he sees me skating my way over to the group meeting place. I'm first to arrive, which is probably lucky, because I have a feeling Emmett knows something that he's incapable of keeping to himself. Did Edward talk to him about me? "How was your afternoon yesterday?"

"Somehow, I think you already know the answer, Emmett."

"Yeah. You do realize you were incredibly lucky, right?"

"Which part, not breaking my neck or meeting your brother?"

He chuckles and shows me a small shopping bag from the little pharmacy two doors down. "He wanted me to deliver this to you," he winks, pressing the bag into my hand. "And he told me to make sure you got your goggles exchanged. Did you?"

"I did. Thanks, Emmett," I answer, stealing away with my bag, trying unsuccessfully to mask my excitement. Something from Edward.

I peer into my goody bag, and the first thing I see is a Powderloaf Mountain trail map. With a slight eye roll, I hold that aside and look greedily past it into the bag. I next find a small tube of SPF 45 sunscreen, to protect against future goggle face. His thoughtfulness brings a smile to my face. Digging further, I find a small pin, bearing two black diamonds and the word 'Goosebumps', a badge of honor marking my successful trip down the trail and providing a souvenir of our auspicious meeting. There's also a mint-flavored ChapStick, which I reach in to retrieve, my mind automatically replaying his application on the lift yesterday. My fingers graze against a small hard plastic object resting at the very bottom of the bag, and when I pull it up, I realize it's one of those photo viewers with the logo of the mountain stamped onto the side. I hold the narrow end to my eye eagerly, and inside the tiny box is a gorgeous magnified image of Edward with his arm around me. A sweet memento, and obviously a parting gift, as there's no note or phone number or declaration of warm feelings to be found.

I apply sunscreen and swipe my lips with the soothing balm before transferring all five items to the inside pocket of my parka. As I ride the first lift with my group, I'm enormously comforted to be taking a small piece of Edward with me for the day. And I try not to think too hard about his proximity to my heart.

It turns out, Edward was right; my private lesson yesterday catapulted my skill level far beyond the rest of the group. Emmett is duly impressed, muttering something about his brother doing fine work. He sends me down first, leading the group in a serpentine pattern down Bunny Hop. By the time we get to Swiss Miss, my pizza wedge is more like a slash-backslash with several letters in between. Emmett praises me from the back of the line, calling me his 'line leader', which reminds me of the glow I felt in first grade when Mrs. Russell entrusted me with the same duty, only not on skis.

The morning passes quickly and pleasantly, and before I know it, we're over at East Basin finishing lunch. Emmett bids us safe skiing and sunshine before unleashing us on the mountain.

"Emmett, are you _sure_ you don't have a spot for me this afternoon? You remember what happened yesterday when you turned your back on me?"

"Oh sweet Bella, your threats will get you nowhere. You're about two-and-a-half feet too tall for my Wee Warriors afternoon class. Besides, we're heading over to the bowls. These kids are fearless!" he explains. "Don't you have a friend who can meet you over here?"

"Yeah," I say, defeated. "I'm sure she'll head right over once I call her."

"Well, if she's not available, you could always buddy up with someone else."

Emmett tips his chin behind me, most likely referring to Matt, the guy he placed right behind me in line all morning. He seems like a nice guy, and we could probably enjoy ourselves just fine, at least until I can meet up with Alice. I glance over my shoulder with a prepared smile. But it's not Matt I find.

"Did I hear you say you're looking for a buddy?"

*/*

**|EPOV|**

"Edward!" she startles, her hand reflexively covering her chest.

My hands automatically reach toward the ceiling, palms-out toward Bella. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

"No…I'm just…surprised, that's all. What are you _doing_ here?"

My eyes flick to my little brother's, and I see he's enjoying our little scene immensely from across the lodge, over the heads of his little students. "Emmett hinted that you guys might end up over here for lunch, and I…"

I'm going to be a gigantic pussy and not tell you that I couldn't fathom not seeing you again.

"You wanted to make sure my goggles were working properly today," she answers for me, with a wide smile.

"Yes," I answer, much relieved. "Are they?"

"Much better. And thank you for the care package. That was really sweet of you, especially the picture."

I feel my face redden as I imagine her retracing my steps to pull together all the items and having the embarrassing conversation with Emmett so he'd deliver them to her. "You're welcome. So…how would you feel about exploring this side of the park with me today?"

"Really? You'd spend another afternoon on the boring old greens with me?"

"_Boring_? I honestly can't say that's a word that popped into my head for one moment with you yesterday, Bella," I chuckle. "I couldn't care less what color the trail is; I just want to spend more time with you."

"Sure, Edward. I'd love to. I just need to text Alice and let her know I'm covered."

_Covered_. A very vivid image of my body _covering_ Bella's pops to mind while she sends her message.

"All set," she announces, sliding her phone back into her pocket.

"Come on, then, let's hit the hills. I've got a lot of trails to show you." I resist the urge to place my hand at her lower back; instead, I make do with supervising as she gathers up all the accessories around her. I shoot Emmett a parting nod and try to ignore the huge knowing grin that graces his face on my account. I decide right here and now that whatever ribbing he chooses to heap on me later will be so worth it. I've got Bella for the afternoon, and this time, I'm not going to let her slip through my fingers when our day on the mountain is over.

"Hey, look at you, snapping right into those skis," I lavish her with praise.

"Pretty impressive, huh?" she smiles.

"So, did you make a splash today in class with all your one-on-one tutoring yesterday?" I ask, as we ski/walk ourselves over to the lift line.

"Yes, I believe Emmett was quite surprised by my progress."

"I bet," I muse. I'm guessing she doesn't even need the pre-loading reminders today, so I wisely hold my tongue as she gracefully slips into the chair. It's amazing what a little confidence can do for a new skier. We pull down the bar together, and once we're situated, I remove my gloves and pull out the trail map I picked up for this purpose last night. I haven't opened a trail map on this mountain since I gave my last lesson five years ago, but it's important that Bella learn how to read and understand the markings. I realize pulling her own out would require an advanced degree of equipment management, and the last thing I want is for one of her gloves or poles to end up on the trail below us.

"Here's what I'm thinking," I share. "There are basically two really spectacular ways to experience this mountain at your level. One is here…" I point out Cutback. "This trail is relatively narrow, but it's a beautiful meandering route that really gives you a feel for the expanse of the landscape. It's also a great way for you to practice picking up a little speed in a straightaway. But I'll warn you, it can be a pretty intense workout. You can see that the elevation changes are very gradual, and you might have to do some poling. I suggest we do Cutback first, before you get tired. Then later," I shift my finger to Jester, "we ride back up and head this way to Jester, we'll catch Powder Highway here, and that brings us back to Easy Rider, where you knocked my socks off yesterday. That way, we end up at the main lodge and don't have to wait for the shuttle to bring us back."

"Hunh, that is quite the ambitious plan," she says, a tinge of anxiety creeping into her voice.

"There's absolutely nothing here that is above your ability level. You trust me, right?"

"Completely," she answers without missing a beat.

I replace my map and relax into the chair. I'm content knowing we've got the next few hours together. Alone. For the first time in years, my eyes don't slip to the slope below.


	15. Meandering

*/*

SLIPPERY SLOPE

**15 MEANDERING**

**/BPOV\**

A few turns into Cutback, Edward leads me to the side and stops. "This is where you need to let your skis just run a bit. Ease up on your wedge and let them glide almost parallel. Don't be afraid to pick up a little speed; the hill will slow you down again. Ready?"

Deep breath, Bella. Off he goes, swishing in a narrower, straighter path than before. I try it, but it's awkward and scary, and my heart's not in the speeding up. Before long, the hill flattens out, and I'm going nowhere. Edward realizes right away that I'm no longer in his wake, and he does this crazy backwards running thing until he's right in front of me again.

"Plant your poles behind you like this, and push off." He makes a skating motion that I cannot emulate. I'm stuck.

"I'm sorry, Edward. I can't do it. Just leave me here until the snow melts and I'll hike down. Maybe send someone up with food once a day?"

He chuckles. "No can do. You're coming down with me. Here, give me the bottoms of your poles." He steps his skis outside of mine and grasps my poles at his sides. Suddenly, he's the engine and I'm the caboose, and he's skating both of us forward.

"Bend your knees and don't fight it," he calls back. He's a human tow rope, and I'm going for a free ride. I'm dead weight, but he doesn't seem to mind; his powerful legs alternate in a speed skating motion and I watch from behind with awe and grateful appreciation. Soon, the slope pulls us forward again, and I'm skiing on my own steam.

"You get another shot at it, Bella. Try to let your skis pick up a little speed this time so you don't get stuck. Here we go." And when his skis form two parallel lines, I let mine do the same, mostly because it's really not fair to do that to him again. My heart is in my throat until the hill widens and I can carve a couple familiar-sized turns again. He pulls to a stop and I slide up next to him. "You did great that time!" he gushes, and I feel the heat of my blush.

"Yeah, thanks for the assistance up there."

"No problem. Just part of the service," he grins. "Why don't you lead me the rest of the way and just go at your own pace? I'll be right behind you."

I push off and listen for his comforting, soft swish behind me. This man is not just heroic in the pivotal moment; he's also on board for the difficult treks and smooth easy rides that come with real connection. He's constant, skilled, comforting; in a word, dependable. He's someone I could see myself relying on.

I need a reality check. I seriously think I may be falling hard for this guy, and I have no idea whatsoever what he's thinking, beyond the fact that he's given up two afternoons of quality skiing to spend time with me.

*/*

**|EPOV|**

"I'll try not to knock you in the face with my poles this time when I get off the chair," she promises, as we wait our turn in the lift line. The double chair is one of the reasons I asked Emmett to end up over here this morning. Beside the fact that there's almost no chance anyone she came with would be skiing this part of the mountain, there's no room for anyone else on the chair but the two of us.

"Aw, where's the fun in that?" I tease. "Pay attention…here comes the chair."

Once settled in, she lifts her goggles and closes her eyes to the sun. "Have you reapplied sunscreen since lunch?" I worry suddenly.

"No, I probably should. Here, can you hold my poles…and my gloves for a sec?"

She digs into her pocket, first rolling the ChapStick over her lips, then coating her face in the lotion I bought her. "You've got a little bit right there," I indicate her right cheek with my gloved finger.

"Edward, do you mind if I ask you something?" she asks, rubbing the extra glob into her skin.

"Well, even if I _do_, I'm pretty much trapped up here."

"Okay, then…so, I was just wondering…how is it possible that you're not taken? I mean, shit…I _assume_ you're not taken. I didn't see a ring or anything, and you haven't mentioned a girlfriend, or a _wife_…maybe I should just ask- _Are_ you taken?"

She pretends to be occupied with returning sunscreen and ChapStick to her pocket, but her blush could be discerned by the skiers below us if they were paying us any attention. "No, Bella. I'm not taken."

Her eyes flash me an instantaneous look of relief. "Then, can you do me a favor please, and just tell me what's wrong with you?"

I snort at her unexpected question. "Isn't that the fun of getting to know someone? Figuring that stuff out for yourself?"

"No. The fun stuff is figuring out what's _right_ with someone. The other part is just…well, depending on how much you get your hopes up, it can be…heartbreaking."

"All right. Hmmm, where should I start…with my thirteen toes or the girls I've got chopped up in my freezer?"

"I think you had me at the toes…" she smiles. "I mean, eleven or even twelve, I could probably make an exception. But thirteen? No way."

"Aw geez, not another shallow girl. How do you think the others ended up in my freezer?"

She shakes her head. "Not telling, huh?"

I stop teasing and take an honest look at Bella. What she's asking me is perfectly valid: _Why should I guard myself against falling for you? _

I'm not accustomed to providing this information to prospective dates. But as I sit here and think about it, revealing ourselves ahead of time actually makes perfect sense. If she's not going to accept where I'm coming from down the road, we might as well save ourselves all the trouble and not even get started, right? Maybe she'll provide me the same courtesy.

She seems a bit taken aback when I actually start giving her the answer. "For a while, the only single women I met were the mothers of the juvenile delinquents I was defending. Not that I didn't sympathize with their lot, but that's not exactly a great basis for beginning a relationship, and it's a terrible idea professionally. Since I left the PD's office, I've basically worked eighty hours a week, leaving the single women at the firm or the corporate officers I was working with as my only options. Most of them seem to be on a career track with a vengeance, their life's goal being to shatter the glass ceiling. I realize it's probably hypocritical, but those just aren't the women with whom I want to spend my down time. So here I am, on a junket thanks to my little brother bullying me to drop everything and come out here for a long weekend. How 'bout you, Bella? Are you willing to share?"

"That seems only fair," she starts. "I go out on a lot of first dates, but…I am beginning to think my expectations are just too high. Alice says I don't give people a chance, but I think I'm a pretty solid judge of character. I have to be, in my job matching Bigs with Littles. We just can't afford to make a mistake and expose one of our kids to someone who can't pass the test of time. Maybe the ideal man is just a well-honed fictional character that I've concocted, but I'm starting to accept that my notion of a hero could never stand up in real life. Well…"

She turns her soft brown eyes on me full on. "I was starting to accept that. Until you rammed into me yesterday."

Hunh, just about the same time I was beginning to think I'd passed up my chance to be a real life hero.


	16. Risk Taking

*/*

SLIPPERY SLOPE

**16 RISK-TAKING**

**/BPOV\**

Edward takes an anxious glance at what's left of our chair ride, and when he speaks, I feel the urgency behind his words.

"Look, Bella, I don't know what's going to happen when we get down to the base of the mountain today, but I do know one thing: I can't just walk away from you again. I'd really like to continue this conversation, only maybe next time, we should probably start at the beginning, rather than the end. Would you allow me to take you out to dinner tonight…_alone_?" he adds quickly.

"That would be great," I answer, feeling the stirring of hope, the tiny flame deep within that has been all but extinguished.

His responding smile is so wide and happy that he reminds me of one of my kids—on a good day.

"Yeah?" he asks, confirming what I guess seemed too good to be true for him as well.

"If you promise to keep your toes covered up." Oh shit, what about the rest of him? No, Edward, please, don't keep the rest of you covered up! Great, now all I can think of is Edward, stripped down to his socks, or worse yet, maybe his ski boots. Oh crap, here comes the blush again.

"Bella, you don't have some kinky foot fetish I need to know about, do you?" he asks with a lopsided grin.

I bring both hands to cover my face. "Can…we…_please_…change…the…subject?" I implore him.

"Absolutely. Which of your _other_ fetishes would you care to talk about?" he teases.

I whack him playfully across his chest.

"Hey!" he complains, trapping my bare hand against him with his bulky black glove.

I'm suddenly mesmerized by our oddly connected hands, which he pulls down to rest between us. He appears to be equally fascinated, as he flips us so that his glove rests against the cold metal bar, not really holding my hand so much as providing it with a platform upon which to rest.

"We look like Beauty and the Beast," he marvels.

"That would be Belle," I answer automatically, accustomed to the frequent comparison. His warm eyes click to mine, and then above us.

"You better put your gloves back on; we're almost at the top."

I wonder if he's imagining the same thing I am as he hands me back my gloves: how it would feel for our palms to meet, without layers of waterproof insulation between us. How our fingers might link together in an effort to keep the other close. Or better yet, how one or two adventurous fingertips might brush softly against the delicately stretched skin of the other's knuckles.

"Want me to hold your poles for you while you dismount?" he offers, probably out of self-preservation.

"No, I've got it," I answer, collecting them in my outside hand just to be extra sure I don't belt him in the nose.

"Okay, follow me to the right. I'll ski over to the trail sign for Jester and we can regroup."

Indeed.

*/*

**|EPOV|**

"You've really improved since yesterday," I tell her honestly, about three-quarters of the way down.

"Still, I'm sure you're bored to death. Wouldn't you just love to fly down this hill?"

"Nah, I got it out of my system this morning."

"I'd love to see you in your element," she responds.

I make a quick evaluation of the area. This is a less-traveled path, and I can certainly stay well away from the beginners. "Okay, just a little one. See where the trail joins Easy Rider? Why don't you ski down and I'll meet you?"

Her face brightens. "Cool!"

"Don't forget to stay off to the side down there; it's a busy intersection!"

She nods and applies herself to the hill, taking smooth, gentle turns one after the next until she's situated where we discussed. She gives me the thumbs up, and I make one last visual sweep of the area before taking off at top speed in full hot dog mode. I totally ham it up, even adding a split-jump toward the end, hopping to a full hockey stop just inches from her skis. I love that she doesn't flinch, though I can see her excitement in the flush of her cheeks.

"That was amazing!" she gushes.

I shrug. "I guess I'm feeling inspired today. You ready to finish off the slope?"

"Yes. Mind if I let you lead this last part? I'd rather watch you glide down effortlessly in front of me than imagine what you must be thinking of me back there."

I don't think I'm quite ready to tell her _exactly_ what I'm thinking about back here. I think we've had enough true confessions for now. "I'm thinking you're doing great, you're carving some really nice turns, starting to pick up some speed, and in another couple days, I'll be following you down some intermediate trails."

"Oh, um…we're going back tomorrow afternoon. I'm just taking my group lesson and we're heading out at noon."

Of course, they took Good Friday off. I ignore the plummet of my internal organs and vow to make the most of tonight.

"Too bad, just when you were really starting to make some progress. Okay, sure, I'll lead. How about if we relax those turns a bit more and put a little zip into it?"

She laughs lightly, "Well, if you lose me, you'll know it was just a little more zip than I could handle."

"I'm not losing you, Bella. Let's do this."

As I pull out in front of her, my mind starts a subconscious countdown. Number of hours until noon tomorrow: 20. I don't want to waste a single moment. I'll request the late seating at Rose's Cabin, which means we've got at least three hours before we start getting ready for dinner, and if I get my way, we'll spend them all together.

Saturday après-ski is a rockin' time, and I happen to know the best entertainment on the mountain. I forge forward at a healthy clip, checking at regular intervals to ensure Bella's keeping up. We've got way better things to do than bunny hop down this crowded slope.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** _In case you are wondering about her socks comment, he told her in the previous chapter that he has 13 toes! I understand FF was misbehaving yesterday...hopefully today will be a smoother run. Back at my desk tonight...see you there_! XXX **~BOH**


	17. Entertainment

*/*

SLIPPERY SLOPE

**17 ENTERTAINMENT**

**/BPOV\**

"This place is fantastic, Edward! I never would've thought to give it a second look. It's completely nondescript from the road."

"That's one of the reasons I always come here. It's the anti-tourist trap. Here, let's grab that table near the stage."

I'm so grateful Edward suggested we change into comfortable boots before heading out to the bar scene. I'm right at home in my ski clothes, but so happy to have my snuggly Uggs. My phone vibrates in my hand; I cannot afford to miss another of Alice's calls after yesterday afternoon.

"Hey, Alice. Where are you?"

"We're just leaving the hotel now. See you in a few?"

"Sure.

Edward's waving someone over, and soon I see Emmett's head bobbing through the crowd. "Edward Anthony," he calls out in greeting. Edward rolls his eyes but accepts Emmett's bear hug with a huge smile. "And my Bellabunny!" Emmett turns to me with open arms. Oh, what the heck, I think as Emmett squeezes the stuffing out of me. There's nothing ordinary about this ski instructor or our interesting relationship.

"So, how was the afternoon? Don't tell me, Edward. You took her down Thunder Road today!" he laughs heartily.

"Nope," Edward answers. "Bella was a good girl today and stayed out of trouble."

"How is being with _you_ all afternoon staying out of trouble, big brother?"

Edward gives Emmett a slightly disgusted look, which for some reason cracks me right up. These two are so opposite in personality it's hard to fathom they came from the same parents or grew up in the same environment. In my line of work, I often ponder life's big questions, the nature vs. nurture issue being my favorite.

"What are you drinking, Bella? First round's on me," Emmett offers, pulling off his coat and turning toward the bar.

"Oh, Emmett, you don't have to—"

"Just stop right there," he says, holding his palm out. "Besides being my favorite student, you've somehow managed to get my brother out for Happy Hour, a feat so rare they actually considered renaming it 'Mopey Hour' in honor of his last visit."

"Jesus, Emmett, will you give me a break?" Edward complains. "Just for that, I'll have a Grey Goose on the rocks with a splash of tonic."

"There we go," Emmett says merrily. "And?" he asks, pointing at me.

"I'll take a Cosmo."

Emmett rubs his hands together. "Now, we're talking! Be right back."

Edward pulls out my chair for me before sitting down next to me. The music is starting to get a little louder as the place fills up, and Edward explains, "There's a band coming on in a little while called Whitlock, Stock, and Barrel. The lead guitar is Emmett's girlfriend's twin brother Jasper. They play all over the country now, but got their start right here at Paco's. Whenever he's in town, he stops in, and always draws a big crowd."

"Emmett's girlfriend?" I figured he was taken.

"Yeah, Rosie. She owns the restaurant I'm taking you tonight."

*/*

**|EPOV|**

"As in Rosalie's Cabin?"

"Yeah," I answer. "You've heard of it?"

"Duh, Edward. It's a five-star restaurant! You don't have to take me to such a fancy place! I don't have anything but jeans to wear. How did you even get a reservation on such short notice? It's too much, Edward, I—"

"Whoa, Nellie. Slow down. Yes, it's five stars, and it's a fabulous experience that I want to share with you. _Everybody_ wears jeans, but even if you stayed in your ski outfit, you'd be entirely appropriate. It's not about being pretentious; it's just great food in a perfect setting with phenomenally attentive service. And as for the reservation? Rose always has a table set aside for VIP guests, and as Emmett's brother, I'm as VI a P as there is, which makes you a VIP by association."

"Wow, Edward, I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything. You already accepted my offer two hours ago. You can't take it back now. Trust me, I'm a lawyer. I know these things. Hey look, there's Alice," I finish, effectively ending this conversation.

Emmett returns to the table with our drinks just as the ski club encroaches, and Bella makes all the introductions. I slide my chair closer to hers before inviting the others to join us. Alice flanks her other side, and the two of them put their heads together for a bit of private conversation with enough giggling and glancing my direction that I've a pretty good guess what their topic might be. Bella pulls her drink closer and pretty soon, it's half gone.

James makes himself known across the table from me, and I do my best to ignore him. He's clearly got other ideas, as he tries to pick a fight with me. "Back on the beginner trails today, _Ed_?"

Yeah, asshole, the green trails with the beautiful girl next to me. "Yes," I say simply, pulling on my vodka.

"Sounds like a good time," he chuckles moronically, ribbing his friend with an elbow, trying to enlist another fool in his assault.

"Are you working extra hard at being an asshole, or does this come naturally to you?" I ask, wiping the smile off his face.

Just then, I catch sight of Jasper and his band arranging themselves on stage. "Be right back," I murmur in Bella's ear, and Emmett and I hop up to welcome Jasper back home. Ten minutes later, Jasper and company are wowing the crowd with their original music and his mellow guitar tones. After the first piece, Alice is out of her chair in a shot, bouncing up and down and applauding wildly. Naturally, Jasper's attention is piqued, and his eyes rarely leave her for the entire second number.

"Did you say Jasper is available?" Bella asks me.

"I didn't say. Why, are you interested?" Awesome. Terrific plan, dude. Bring the girl to the bar where-

"No, _Silly_, not me. My little friend appears to be smitten."

"Mmm, looks mutual from where I'm sitting. Last I'd heard as of the holidays, he was still a single man, but you know how easily those things can change," I say, adding a little wink at the end.

"In the blink of an eye," she smiles, tipping the end of her drink down the hatch.

Jasper raises the microphone to his mouth and says, "This next song is a new number we just recorded. It's all about taking chances. Speaking of which…Emmett, would you ask that adorable creature to your right if she'd come up here and provide me with some inspiration for this song, please?"

Alice squeals and runs to the stage, where she's met by an eager Jasper and introduced to the rest of the band. "Now, the rest of you can go ahead and buddy up on the dance floor while we do this. Here we go…"

"You heard the man," I rise, pulling Bella by the hand to the makeshift dance floor. Bella is rather like the dead weight I dragged across Cutback earlier today, and the comparison does not inspire hope.

But that all changes when I pull her into my arms for the slow song. She settles right in and leans her cheek against my chest, where I'm quite sure she can feel my heart pounding right through my ribcage. As we spin slowly together in the crush of the crowd, I'm thrilled at how our bodies fit and move together in sync and I'm dizzy with the possibilities of what this might mean for the future.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** _I'm baaaack! Thank you all for continuing to review given my limited ability to check in and reply. Seems many people are curious how far apart they live, and since we found out in Chapter 10 that he lives in Boulder and she's in Denver, it's no secret that they're only 45 minutes apart by car! _**XXX ~BOH**


	18. Shuttle

*/*

SLIPPERY SLOPE

**18 SHUTTLE**

**/BPOV\**

"I don't understand. Why did we meet here if we're eating up on the top of the mountain?"

"This is the transportation to the restaurant," he answers. "Here it comes now."

Why the heck is he pointing to the slope of the mountain and not the driveway out front? Holy shit, a horse-drawn sleigh is the shuttle bus?

"Back here," he directs, taking me by the hand to the bench at the very back of the sleigh and snagging us the seats in the corner.

"Doesn't this get cold?" I ask warily.

"That's what the blankets are for," he says with a twinkle in his eye, lifting one of the warm woolen blankets over our laps. _Oh, this could work_!

We're jolted as the horses begin their plod up the slope of the mountain. The driver is narrating, telling the history of the cabin and the restaurant, and it's probably something I'd care about on an ordinary date, but tonight, I can only spare about 2% of my brain for anything not directly Edward-related. His upper half looks roughly the same as he did while skiing—sans goggles, naturally. But he's traded in his stretchy black pants for a pair of slim fitting jeans that definitely leave me wondering. And as much as I've loved skiing and dancing with Alpine Edward, I'm anxious to see what he might look like without all the layers on top.

"So, you've eaten here before?"

"Once," he answers. "A few years ago, when Emmett and Rose first started dating, our family came out for Christmas and he wanted to show her off in her element."

"So the romantic sleigh ride was rather lost on you?"

"Yeah," he chuckles openly. "Y'know, Emmett's always up for cuddling, but it's not quite the same," he jokes. "Though Mom and Dad seemed to enjoy themselves on the way home," he remembers with a nostalgic shake of his head. "We had quite a bit of wine that night, and those two…well, let's just say they give me a great deal of hope about relationship longevity."

"Mine too," I share, musing over my parents' long and happy marriage. "I guess we both have good genes."

"You think it's inherited?" he asks, cocking his head with interest.

"It's probably more taught than inherited," I admit. "Not just the nuts and bolts of making a relationship work long-term, but instilling that deep-seated belief that it's possible to be happy with the same person forever."

"So, you're a believer, then?"

"In theory, yes, I've always been a believer."

"In theory?"

"Well, you know, you turn that corner from mid- to late-thirties, and you can't help but start wondering, _Have I missed my chance?_"

"Have all the ships left the harbor without me?" he reflects.

Perhaps it's the cold harsh reality of our admissions, most likely it's simply the chill of the night air; either way, I'm shivering. I rub my inadequate knit "fashion" mittens together in a vain attempt to produce some friction.

"C'mere," he offers, lifting the blanket to our necks and inviting me closer with his left arm behind my shoulders. _Mmm, now we're talking_.

I huddle close enough that our hips meet along the wood bench, and I'm sure he can feel my legs bouncing in an effort to keep warm. He rubs his gloved hand firmly up and down my left side, from my shoulder to my elbow. "Better?" he inquires after a few minutes.

"Mmmm," I answer from my dreamy snuggle-induced state.

*/*

**|EPOV|**

Whoever originated the idea of this sleigh ride was an evil genius; my date certainly wouldn't be huddled this closely on the seat of a heated bus! Building on our slow spin around the dance floor at Paco's, this cold weather cuddle provides excellent transportation to our destination.

"I have something else that might help," I inform her, pulling off my gloves, reaching to my inside coat pocket and unearthing my flask.

"You've been holding out on me," she accuses. "How come you didn't offer that to me on the slopes?"

I shake my head, "Skiing and drinking don't mix. That's how people get hurt." _Oops_, too ski patrol and not enough dinner date?

Unfortunately, I need to remove my arm from around her to unscrew the cap and offer her a drink. "What's in there?" she asks, "and how many lips have been around the top?"

"Southern Comfort, and none since I cleaned it and refilled it last week. Do you have anything I don't want to catch?"

"Not that I know of," she answers, drawing the bottle to her lips, taking a healthy pull, and smacking her lips loudly at the end. "Ahhhhh…I feel warmer already."

I imitate her motion, thinking about how lovely it is to have my mouth on the spot hers just vacated. "Funny, I never drink this stuff any other time. It always tastes like skiing to me," I observe, passing it back to her.

"Maybe one more," she agrees, taking another long drink and passing it back. As I'm swallowing my last swig, she adds, "You know, you're like a full-service Saint Bernard."

I sputter a little at the unexpected comparison to a large slobbery dog, covering my mouth so as not to actually embody the metaphor. Screwing the cap on tightly and stowing the flask safely away, I clear my throat and say, "Thank you?"

"I'm sorry, Edward," she giggles. "That was meant to be a compliment. You know, the heroic rescue by the reliable and capable mountain dog, complete with a helpful little barrel of hooch to ease the pain of the accident?"

"Ah. Gotcha," I acquiesce, the alcohol burning its way down my throat and into my stomach. It's probably said alcohol that causes me to add, "Yes, well, I was just about to get to the part where I lick your face."

And probably also egged on by the Southern Comfort, she giggles harder and answers, "I was wondering what was taking you so long."

"_Were_ you now?" I challenge her with raised brows, delighted at the direction the conversation has abruptly shifted.

Suddenly, every shred of humor seems to get vacuumed out of our conversation, leaving her staring at me with an intensity that I can physically feel. And I notice she's no longer shivering. My eyes seem glued to her lips, which makes perfect sense because they are trained to look where I want my body to follow.

The din of chatter all around us and the occasional informative comment by our driver-slash-tour guide all blend into the background and melt away. It's just Bella and me; her lips and mine.

My newly uncovered hands are still warm enough to caress her cheek, and my thumb makes a first pass over her lips, still moist and sticky from the whiskey. "Your lips are cold," I inform her.

"Nnn hnnn," she agrees robotically, her eyes flicking from my mouth to my eyes and back again.

"I think I might have something for that."

"Okay."

I seek out her lips with mine, and the moment they touch, she swallows down my whimper.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Okay, BIG news day for this little pumpkin!..._SLIPPERY SLOPE_ HAS JUST BEEN NOMINATED FOR **Fic of the Week at TLS!** Heroward and Bellabunny would sure love your vote! The poll is up till Saturday and here's the link: **tehlemonadestand . blogspot .com **ANDWHILE YOU'RE THERE,_ Comp Sem 101_ is up for **Fic of the Month at TLS**, along with my good buddy Eternal Edward's _Simply Coffee_, which is a lovely story you should all go and read because I know everyone here loves a HEROward. Please go vote-unfortunately you only get to choose one for FOTM so just ignore all the other great stories listed and pick one of ours, mmmkay? MWAH! **~BOH**


	19. Rosalie's Cabin

***/***

**SLIPPERY SLOPE**

**19 ROSALIE'S CABIN**

**/BPOV\**

His gentle, tentative kiss belies the self-assurance Edward exhibits in everything he does. This is different, so very deliciously, decadently different. Not that his hard-earned confidence isn't utterly sexy, but I have to admit, this new unguarded vulnerability he reveals touches a place deep inside me. For the first time since we met, I feel myself on equal footing with him.

Our first contact holds more questions than answers.

_Oh God, is this really happening?_

_Please, may I have another taste?_

_Can it possibly mean as much to you?_

_Will I ever get enough?_

As if desperate to seek the answers together, our lips refuse to stay apart. It's impossible and irrelevant to discern his moans from my own; all I know is that we're both lost inside this perfect, sweet beginning. We both shift in our seats to provide the angle that will allow for the most advantageous connection. We seem to be having an entire conversation without a single word passing between us. And when our mouths finally break apart upon arrival at Rosalie's Cabin, our foreheads, noses, and eyes remain locked together in a new intimacy that neither of us is ready to relinquish.

"I think they need us to leave now," Edward informs me, and I feel his lips curl against my cheek into a small smile.

"Can't we just take this buggy back down again?" I tease him, knowing how excited he is to show me inside.

"Damn, Bella, I'm so tempted. But I don't think Rose would ever forgive me."

"Oh no," I feign horror, "You'd lose your VIP status forever," I say, already giving in to the inevitable. "Hey, did you notice it's snowing?"

"Not until a second ago," he admits shyly. "Come on, let me introduce you to the proprietor," he offers, gathering up my mitten in one of his gentle hands. "Thanks for the ride, buddy," he says to our driver.

"See you two later this evening. Enjoy your meal."

The contrast of the warm interior is immediately inviting; the glow of the fireplace and the rich acoustic guitar melodies draw us in. Richly-adorned Easter eggs drip from colorful wide velvet ribbons, adding a festive holiday air to the entrance.

"Edward!" greets an impossibly perfect-looking blonde, rushing from the main dining area of the restaurant to pull him into a hug. "It's been too long."

"Great to see you, too, Rose," he responds easily, clearly comfortable with her show of affection.

"And you must be Bella," she says, turning her even, white smile in my direction. "So glad you're here with us tonight."

"Thank you."

"I see you've managed to captivate the brothers Cullen," she adds.

"Yeah, Rose, just like you," Edward retorts amiably.

"Go on, Edward. Help Bella get settled. You know the drill."

"Thanks again," he nods, gracing her cheek with a small peck before turning to me. "This way." He places one hand at the small of my back and directs me to a coatroom like no other I've ever seen. Lining one entire wall are rows and rows of cubbies filled with Ugg slippers in every size and color.

"Grab a pair in your size, and pop your boots in their place."

"Really? How cool!"

He chuckles, "Here, I'll take your coat."

I select a bright red pair to match my blouse and I'm warm and fuzzy when Edward returns to my side.

"Oh hell," I say, taking in his royal blue button down, draping perfectly over the top of his jeans. Finally, a glimpse of his neck and the slightest hint of chest.

"What's wrong?" he asks anxiously, checking for trouble in what appears to be a descending order of urgency: fly, shirt buttons, hair. He's concluded that hat head has struck again and tamps down his hair frantically, searching for a mirror.

"No, Edward. You're fine. Hell, you look too good! That's the problem," I explain. Well, sort of.

*/*

**|EPOV|**

I shake my head with a confused chuckle. Anyway, she's the real story here, dressed in a ruby-colored, long-sleeved silk tee that sets off her soft brown hair and pulls up the reddish tint where the mountain sun's had its way with her underprotected skin the last couple days.

"You're looking pretty hot yourself there, Bella." It takes most of my self-control to lead her back to the lounge area instead of mashing her into the corner for a prolonged make-out session worthy of two love-starved teenagers. My disappointment is tempered by the luxury of her bare hand in mine. It seems miraculous to me how enjoyable this simple pleasure is with Bella.

"Should we have a cocktail by the fire or are you starving?"

"I'm in no rush," she answers, echoing my sentiments exactly.

I manage to score us two glasses of pinot noir without having to let go of her hand, and we fall into the soft brown leather love seat adjacent to the fire. She leaves her slippers on the floor and nestles herself under my outstretched arm. I can't resist dropping my face to her hair and nuzzling my nose behind her ear. She purrs like a contented cat, making me just about the happiest man on the mountain.

"Is it bad that we're not spending what little time we have together getting to know each other better?" she asks softly, in the direction of my face.

"How is this not getting to know you? I just learned that your shampoo smells like vanilla and brown sugar."

"And I've learned that Southern Comfort adds a little tang to your kisses."

"Hmm, you really don't have a baseline for that. Maybe you need to do a taste test comparison with the pinot."

"Excellent idea," she says, turning to me full on.

I give her a wink before taking a drink from my glass, being sure to make a show of coating my lips with wine. "Ready."

Her tongue swipes along my lower lip, drawing in the bait I've left for her. "Mmmm," she moans greedily, closing her lips over mine when she's finished lapping up all the excess liquid.

"So, you two having fun?" It's Emmett, crouched down behind our couch, with his bulky arms wrapped around both of us and a wide smile on his face.

Bella giggles, breaking our kiss just as it was getting started.

"We _were_," I answer him crossly.

"Aw, lighten up, Francis. Your table's ready."

"Where'd you come from anyway?" Bella inquires.

"I help out up here on the weekends."

"That must be exhausting after a full day on the slopes."

Emmett shrugs, "It's the only way I can see my Rosie. Plus, it's kind of hot having her as my boss."

"Never mind, Em," I hold my hand up to stop the flow of extraneous and possibly disturbing information.

"May I see you to your table?" he offers, with an eager flourish that only Emmett could pull off without looking completely ridiculous.

As we follow Emmett, I lean in and ask Bella, "So what's the verdict? So Co or wine?"

She shakes her head, "I didn't finish my experiment. I need more data."

_Damn_, I'm a sucker for the scientific method.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Mmmm, So Co or Pino? That was Pi-_NO_, Kitkat! (shame on you!) I'm not here to beg for any votes today, and THANK YOU so much, BTW, for giving _Slippery Slope_ such a nice showing in the polls!

But what I DID want to say is that the lovely **Maxipoo1024** of **TwiFic Central** just posted an interview with me (IKR?) so if you'd care to see what secrets I might have up my sleeve or maybe just, _'What the heck was she thinking?'_, you can check it on out at: **twificcentral . com/2012/01/uncategorized/spotlight-interview-bornonhalloween/ **And then you will know all there is to know about what lies beneath the pumpkin shell. **~BOH**


	20. Table Talk

***/***

**SLIPPERY SLOPE**

**20 TABLE TALK **

**/BPOV\**

"Good Lord, how many more courses do we have coming?" I could've easily quit after the shrimp cocktail, but the Caesar salad was too good to resist.

Edward chuckles, "Considering we haven't had our entrees yet, I'd say at least two."

"Oh God, I'm not going to fit into my ski pants tomorrow."

"Well, that could certainly make things interesting on the slopes…" he teases, tipping the lip of the bottle of Cabernet into my glass and refilling it before topping off his own.

He replaces the bottle to the table with a pensive expression. From past experience, I recognize that it's probably futile to expect an answer from a man on this question, but I ask anyway. "What are you thinking about?"

His lips turn slightly down and now I feel bad for asking. "I was thinking that I've finally met someone I really like, and I only have…" he pauses to tip his wrist and read the bad news, "fourteen more hours with her." A deep blush comes over his face as he realizes the implication of his calculation. "I mean, y'know, on the same mountain with her, including sleeping…" he finally gives up. "Smooth, Edward," he chides himself softly, pulling his long, elegant fingers through the locks of his hair.

I feel my own lips tug upward at his accidental revelation of his inner musings, and I can't leave him twisting. "Would you like me to cut you down from that noose you just slipped around your neck?"

"Jesus, could you please?" he answers, with a grateful shake of his head.

"Edward, I really like you, too." He cautiously searches my eyes and seems to ease up on his self-flagellation. "Mind if I ask you another question?"

He flinches a bit and asks, "Is it as hard as the last one?"

"Probably," I confess.

"Sure, what the hell?" he answers trustingly.

"Are you happy?" I ask him, suddenly feeling a need to know that this kind, honest, gentle, and yes—spectacularly attractive man is content with his lot.

"Right this second, or cosmically?" he queries, with a slight grin.

"I was referring to the cosmic portion of your life," I clarify, "but feel free to answer both."

"Well, yes, to the easy part. But I can't say I greet the alarm clock every morning with a great sense of joy and passion. It's more like…determination and resignation."

"I can certainly relate to that," I reply, twirling my wine glass slowly between my two hands.

"You know, I've always found that spending time on the mountain really brings a sense of perspective back to my life, and lately, I've just gotten farther away from what I hoped to accomplish."

"Being a hero?" I clarify.

He lifts his eyes to mine shyly. "Does that seem like an arrogant goal?"

"God no, Edward. It sounds like the worthiest possible goal. And by the way, could we not forget please that you most likely saved my life yesterday?"

"Okay, sure, but that was a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence, a fortunate accident. I believe the mountains are trying to tell me I need to incorporate the heroics into my everyday life."

I know it's a risk, but the payoff could be tremendous, so I plow on. "I really hesitate to say this…"

"Well, don't stop now, you're on a roll!" His smile is inviting, if vigilant.

"I don't want you to get the idea that I'm turning this into a recruiting mission, but what you'd probably consider an average day at work could be truly heroic to the families we serve. They're bombarded every day by red tape and legal challenges that I'm guessing you could dispatch without much effort at all."

*/*

**|EPOV|**

She's just tossed me a life preserver, and I grasp it like the sinking man that I am. "Yeah, I mean, the work's easy enough; the challenge would be carving out the time."

"Really?" Her surprised expression is bright and happy, making me feel as if I've just pulled her number from the lottery hoppers. "So…since you've just delivered the moon, I guess I may as well ask for the stars as well. I'm just gonna lay it on the line here, would you ever consider being a 'Big'?"

"Aren't big brothers supposed to be fun?" I shake my head, certain my memory doesn't reach back far enough to pull up a day that wasn't ruled by documents to review or somebody else's mistakes to fix. "If you're looking for someone to teach a kid how to turn into a burned-out, disillusioned work horse, I'm your guy."

"There's a lot more to it than just being fun. But you obviously love skiing, and you're a fantastic role model."

"Bella, I appreciate what you're trying to do here. But, there's a groove in my carpet from the front door to the couch to the freezer to the microwave, back to the couch and right to bed."

"Sounds to me like you could use a 'Little' in your life."

"Hey, are you social working me?"

"Shit, I'm sorry. I thought I was just listening. It's an occupational hazard. I guess this is me, sitting on the chair lift, scanning for misery below."

"No, don't get me wrong please. I wasn't complaining. It's just been so long since anyone attempted to unearth this part of me, I think I may have forgotten what it feels like."

"I see _so_ _much_ good in you, Edward. And I have to say I think you'd make a terrific Big Brother."

"Maybe you should ask Emmett's opinion on that," I reply.

"Ask Emmett's opinion on _what_?" comes his voice from behind, as if waiting to have been summoned. Rose pulls up by his side, a bottle of Sambuca in one hand and four glasses clutched in the other.

"I was just pondering what kind of big brother Edward is." Bella says. Emmett's big booming laugh rings out and he ruffles my hair playfully while pulling out the chair next to me.

"Good thing I brought more alcohol," Rosalie says, setting down the glasses.

Emmett launches into what seems to be a familiar reflection. "First off, it was a royal pain in the ass following behind this one in school. Every teacher expected me to be an eager, brilliant student, and I can't tell you how many times I was asked, "Are you _sure_ you're Edward Cullen's brother?"

Bella chuckles appreciatively, enjoying his tirade.

"But I truly began to appreciate my big brother in high school. There were always good-looking girls hanging around the house."

"Em!" I warn, doing my best to glare at him, but he waves me off.

"Edward always took his job as big brother very seriously. Whenever I'd get myself into trouble," he pauses to regard Rose, "Edward would kick my ass. Back when he _could_, that is."

"And this was a good thing?" Bella asks, understandably.

"Yes, because he'd never tell Mom and Dad; he'd just do the straightening himself. It was a very effective technique."

"Yeah, look at you now," I joke, taking in his huge grin.

Emmett distributes the glasses and lifts his to the middle, "To the greatest big brother there is," to which Rose adds, "You done good, Edward."

Bella and I exchange glances as we clink. Before the spicy heat of the Sambuca reaches my stomach lining, the idea has already set its hooks into my imagination.

I've got a nice buzz on by the time I reach the coffee beans at the bottom of my glass. When Bella excuses herself to the restroom, I take the opportunity to inform Emmett that he shouldn't expect Bella in class tomorrow.

"Hoo hoo, big bro, you're awfully sure of yourself there, aren't you?"

"It's not like that, Emmett! What I'm sure of is that I'm not letting you have Bella's last four hours on the mountain."

"Dude, that's up to Bella. If I see her, I see her; if I don't, I guess I'll know where she is."

Catching Bella's return, I stand and thank them both for a memorable night. "Ditto," Bella says, scooting next to me and linking her hand inside my elbow.

"Go on, you two, the driver has to leave and you wouldn't believe how much those horses demand for overtime," Rose jokes.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Thank you all for showering so much love on these two and this little story. It's such a treat for me to share each chapter! **~BOH**


	21. Sleeping Arrangements

***/***

**SLIPPERY SLOPE**

**21 SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS**

**/BPOV\**

"The Sambuca definitely broke the tie," Bella announces, coming up for air between kisses.

"Mmm," he agrees, "but I'm not entirely sure it's fair to credit the Sambuca for the improvement."

No, it's really not fair to compare the sweet innocence of our first kiss with the tongue fest of the sleigh ride back. Must be all that practice he had growing up, I muse, remembering Emmett's admiration for his big brother's success with the ladies. Right now, I feel nothing but gratitude to those who preceded me, for both molding Edward into the man before me and leaving him available when they were through.

Edward helps me step off the sleigh before pressing a tip into the driver's hand. They exchange Easter greetings, and Edward is all mine again. "So…" he starts awkwardly, "…I have to admit, I'm standing here trying to concoct a way to extend our date."

Shy, nervous Edward is even more irresistible than the confident man I first met on the slopes. Though I'm drawn to him in every way, it's simply not my style to fall into bed with a stranger, especially one I'm not likely to see again once the sun goes down tomorrow.

"Edward, I had a great time tonight," I start, noting how his enthusiasm dies with the realization that I'm about to turn him down. "But I have to be on the slopes at 8 tomorrow."

"What if you ski with me instead? Sleep a little later, spend some more time with me tonight."

"But Emmett's expecting me."

"Emmett will understand," he responds too quickly, making me wonder exactly what has passed between the brothers.

"Edward, I'm not sure what kind of expectations you might have about tonight, but I've never been the type of girl to fall into bed with someone I barely know, and I don't expect I'll start now."

_Despite the fact that I can't identify a single flaw in you, or that your kisses leave me hungry for so much more._

"Bella, please understand. I have zero expectations; I simply want to spend as much time with you as I can. I know it's selfish, but I just don't know how to say goodbye to you."

"Why don't we worry about goodbye tomorrow then? I'd love to ski with you again in the morning. But for tonight, Edward? I realize I may be prehistoric, but I'm not a one-night stand."

"No, of course not. I wouldn't expect that you are. I can't say I'm not incredibly disappointed, but I totally respect where you're coming from. I'll walk you back to your room then."

"Thank you," I say sadly, wondering if I'll regret this decision. Hell, I already do.

Edward proves to be a total gentleman the entire way back to my room, though he loses himself when the elevator doors close on us in the lobby. He backs me into the corner and I don't resist when his tongue seeks mine one last time. He protests with a slight whimper when the bell announces our arrival at my floor and I reluctantly push him away.

He trails half-heartedly behind me the entire walk down the long hallway, but my surprised, "What the _fuck_?" draws him right up next to me at my door. Hanging from the doorknob is a cowboy hat, and I notice a slip of paper tucked into the circle of twine. I pull out the note and read, in Alice's hand_, 'Bella, this one's special. Thx for understanding. xo –Al'_ .

"You have got to be shitting me!" I complain to the paper, to the door, to the hat.

"That's Jasper's," Edward informs me softly. "I could tell there was something going on there." He shakes his head with admiration, and probably envy, that his friend's conquest seems to have ended much more successfully than his own.

"Jesus, where did she expect me to go?"

Edward has the good graces to shrug his shoulders and not gloat. Of course, Alice figured I would stay with Edward, which right about now, looks like my only option. And I fully realize there are far worse things in this world.

"Hunh," I concede. "Maybe the mountains are trying to tell me something, too?"

*/*

**|EPOV|**

This is no time for smiling, I remind my smug self. But for Jasper's good fortune, I'd be heading back solo to my lonely room. Instead, I am graced by Bella's presence, if only because she has no other choice.

"You take the bed," I offer, closing the door behind us. "I have no problem sleeping on the couch."

"Thanks, Edward. That's really sweet of you. This is such an embarrassing situation."

"No worries, Bella. You already turned me down, so you don't have to worry over your reputation," I attempt to say without the displeasure that I feel. "Feel free to use whatever toiletries you need."

"Thanks again," she says, slipping into the bathroom. I make use of my privacy to change quickly into my pajama pants, and I'm just pulling on my tee-shirt when she returns. I slide by her into the bathroom, exchanging awkward glances.

I hurry through attending to my needs and make sure to rattle the knob so it's quite obvious that I'm opening the door. I can just make out the collar of her sweater under the sheets, and it occurs to me she must be pretty uncomfortable sleeping in her clothes.

"Would you like to borrow a tee-shirt and…I don't know, maybe some long underwear to sleep in?"

"Oh, um…my jeans are okay, I guess… but yeah, a tee-shirt would be great. Sorry to be such a pain."

"No worries, let me just grab you something," I answer, shuffling to the dresser. It appears I'm wearing my last clean shirt, so I hastily pull it off and toss it to her.

"Crap, on top of everything else you've done for me, I'm literally taking the shirt off your back?" she laments.

"I only put it on for you. I don't normally sleep with a shirt on."

I feel her eyes move appraisingly across my chest. She twirls her finger in a circle, "Would you mind?"

"Oh…yeah…sure…sorry," I fumble, turning around so she can change. I hear her stifle a giggle.

"Edward, I really appreciate your being such a gentleman about this."

"No big deal. So, what time do you want to hit the slopes tomorrow? You're meeting your group at noon, right?"

"Yeah, how about we set the alarm for 8? I've got to take the walk of shame tomorrow morning and pack and leave time to return my rentals…"

"Okay, that should give us time for a few runs anyway." _Before we really do have to say goodbye_. "You decent back there?" I ask when I don't hear any further rustling.

"I am," she answers, and I turn back around to regard her in my shirt.

"Wow, that looks a _lot_ better on you," I smile, trying not to ogle.

"And you look a lot better without it," she replies, her face reddening with the admission.

"Bella, would you mind very much if I kissed you good night?"

"I don't see any reason we should rob ourselves of that pleasure just because of our unusual circumstances," she answers, propped against the pile of pillows and covered up to her waist.

Placing a palm down on either side of her hips, I lean over and match my lips to hers. What starts as a gentle good-night kiss picks up intensity and soon, her arms are wrapped tightly around my back, causing me to drop one knee beside her on the bed. With only the thin layer of cotton between us, I happily discover she's not wearing a bra, and I relish the feel of her soft chest against mine. With lips and tongues leading the way, our upper bodies joyfully increase the connection. Before long, I'm sprawled along her body from head to toe, and I've started to feel a bit conflicted about safeguarding Bella's virtue.

Lucky for her, she has the wherewithal to pull back before things become too difficult to stop. "I wouldn't want you to think I'm a tease," she says, her anxious brown eyes burning into mine.

"And I wouldn't want _you_ to think I can't control myself," I answer back with a grim smile. "Good night, Bella." I push myself off the bed, figuring my flimsy pants do little to hide my enthusiasm. But then again, if she's looking, well…that's not really my problem.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** FIRST, thank you all for making _Slippery Slope_ a **Fic of the Week** at TLS! WOOT to the little "one-shot for the Texas Wildfire Compilation"-at least that's how it started. Seems I am incapable of the one-shot. No, I WILL master that one day!

OKAY, let the lynching begin. *dives into bulletproof shell and closes the lid* Please, _try_ to remember you love me? XXX **~BOH**


	22. Last Hours

***/***

**SLIPPERY SLOPE**

**22 LAST HOURS**

**/BPOV\**

"You're staying till Tuesday?" I confirm.

"That's the plan."

"Good. That'll give you some time to hit all the hard stuff you gave up to ski with me."

"I don't regret one second of my time with you," he answers swiftly. His eyes click back down to the slope below, affording me the chance to memorize his face unobserved.

"Anybody in danger today?" I ask of his familiar inspection.

His eyes return to mine before answering, "Just me."

His brutal honesty is difficult to bear, and I have my own heavy heart to answer to this morning. "Which way off the chair?" I ask, offering a change of topic.

"Follow me to the right. We're going to take Smooth Sailing down to Last Hurrah," he says gravely.

Edward cuts a smooth path along the wide expanse of the mountain. I focus solely on his graceful descent, broken only by the occasional glances backwards to make sure I'm safe. I marvel at the ease with which I've afforded Edward my complete trust, those broad shoulders forging our way seemingly capable not only of saving me, but also of stirring my soul. As we meet the trail that marks our final run together, a dark cloud of despair rolls over my heart. If I felt that my deep rut was unbearable before, how can I ever expect to soldier on now that I've met someone who seems so right for me, only to have to leave him here on this mountain when I go?

Edward skis us down to the rental shop and we pull to a final stop. "Well, that's it then," he says sadly. "Come on, I'll help you with your stuff."

The group is largely assembled as I roll my suitcase to the loading area. Amid the buzz of chatter, I catch someone commenting, "Yeah, tough break."

"What? _Who_?" I look around frantically for Alice, praying she hasn't been harmed.

"James had to be transported to the hospital," one of the guys volunteers. "He was trying to do some kind of aerial maneuver in the bowls and landed all wrong."

"Ouch," I say out of solidarity, one human to another. But even as I say it, I know it could easily have been me in that hospital bed—or worse.

I spy Alice and Jasper sharing an intimate goodbye off to one side. My misery outweighs my annoyance with her, and if she feels even a fraction of my sadness, I don't need to rub salt in her wounds this morning.

"So, Edward Cullen…"

"So, Bella Swan…"

"God, this really sucks," I say, my stupid eyes filling with tears.

"Oh shit, no, don't do that, please, Bella," Edward responds, pulling me into a tight hug.

"How can I even begin to thank you for everything?"

*/*

**|EPOV|**

"Well, for starters, you can give me your phone number."

"Next time you're in the neighborhood?" she challenges.

I can only answer with a shrug. I have no plan, but I do have an overwhelming sense that I cannot let her go without knowing how to find her again. She holds out her hand for my phone and I pull it from my pocket and drop it in her palm. Seconds later, her phone rings and I hear the beginning of her voice mail greeting. I gesture for my phone back, and she hands it back to me with a curious lift of her brow. Stepping across the room where she can't hear, I leave a lengthy message, catching her eye and winking at her while I finish. She shakes her head with an appreciative smile, and I slide my phone back into storage.

Outside, I load her suitcase into the belly of the bus and return to her side. "One more for the road?" I ask, tipping her chin and kissing the tears from her eyes. I press my lips to hers one last time, tasting the salty flavor of her sadness. "Thanks for dropping into my life, Bella."

"It just feels so incredibly wrong to say goodbye to you, Edward."

"You know, it's not as if we live so far apart, Bella. It's less than an hour to Denver."

"May as well be halfway to the moon with your schedule."

I have nothing but false hope to offer, and I decide it best to guard my tongue. "Have a safe trip back."

Jasper and I gravitate to each other's sides as the bus pulls away. "Wow," he observes, scratching the back of his head.

"Tell me about it," I reply. "You up for some abuse?"

"Let's do it," he says, following me to the ski racks.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** _Sigh...heavy hearts today. And Coppertop? James, hospital? That was for you!_ **~BOH**


	23. Back To Reality

***/***

**SLIPPERY SLOPE**

**23 BACK TO REALITY**

**/BPOV\**

"You really skied down a double black diamond on your first day? Wow, Bella, that is _sick_."

"Yes, Miguel. Not just sick, practically deadly."

"And then, this hero comes along and saves the day?" he prompts, peering into the photo viewer I slung from a pushpin on my bulletin board this morning, lest I start believing the whole weekend was merely a dream.

"Yes, Miguel," I confirm, for the fourth time. He seems to never tire of hearing the story. I understand well his fascination with heroes.

"So then, if you got _your_ hero, why can't I get one, too?" This is what I feared. It's all good and well to encourage hope, but not to the extent that it builds unrealistic expectations.

"Honestly, Miguel, the guy in that picture? I'm not even sure he was real." But I have not only the picture as proof; I also have the voice mail he left me yesterday, which I've memorized at this point.

"_Hello, Bella. This is Edward. Edward Cullen. I just wanted to let you know I had an amazing time with you this weekend. You're watching me from across the room right now, and looking at me with such suspicion, dying to know what I'm saying. I wonder how long it took you to check your voice mail once you got on the bus. Ten minutes? Five? (chuckling) Listen, I don't want to make any promises I can't keep, so I'll just tell you what is absolutely true. I want to find a way to see you again, sooner rather than later. Well, I better say goodbye before I get cut—"_

Turns out, both his estimates were too long. I had the phone to my ear the second the bus pulled away from the curb.

"Hmm," Miguel ponders thoughtfully, his eyes flicking from me, to the picture, and over my shoulder. "If he's not real, then who's that?"

My brain is certain Miguel's made a mistake, but my heart's already going a mile a minute. I whip my head around, and there, in my office doorway, is the familiar grin I already miss ridiculously more than I should after our 24-hour separation. The rest of him looks completely unfamiliar in a navy pinstripe suit, blue button-down, and conservative gold tie.

"Edward?" I croak out, "What are you doing here?"

He leans against the doorjamb and folds his arms across his chest, crossing one ankle over the other. "Well, that's one heck of a greeting for the man who saved your life," he chuckles.

I can't resist one moment longer. I'm out of my chair, untwisting his arms and grasping his hands between us. I have to rise onto tiptoes to meet his lips, and the second our kiss begins, I'm transported straight back to our sad goodbye when I thought I may never see him again.

"Blech," comes from behind, as I remember we're not alone. Pulling Edward into my office, I gesture toward Miguel. "Edward, I'd like you to meet my very special friend Miguel."

Edward extends his hand. "Miguel, it's a pleasure. Bella told me all about you."

"And she told me all about her hero as well," he responds, dangling the key chain from his fingertip. I am so busted.

Edward's smile broadens. "Is that right?" he asks, lifting his merry eyes briefly to mine before refocusing his attention on Miguel. "Well, then I guess we're even. Oh, hey, can you show me where Bree Tanner's office is please?"

"Bree's? Why?" I ask dumbly, doing my best to keep my skyrocketing hopes at bay.

"I have an interview at noon."

"Sure, Edward," Miguel answers. "Follow me."

"Thanks. Oh, Bella, see you after?" he winks. I nod back, unable to utter an intelligent word in response. I collapse into my chair, stunned by his swift reappearance in my life.

Miguel breaks my trance, sliding to a stop in my doorway moments later. "Can I have him, Bella? Pleeeeez? Please say I can have this one!"

"Hey, Miguel," I answer calmly. "We don't know anything yet. I'm not even sure what Edward's doing here. He may be volunteering to help with some legal work. Let's just keep it together, deal?" I beseech myself as much as him.

"Sure, Bella," Miguel says, but his wide expectant grin tells another story entirely.

"Isn't it about time for you to get back to school, kiddo?"

*/*

**|EPOV|**

I knock softly on Bella's door, craning my neck around the perimeter to make sure we're alone.

She lifts her eyes and smiles. "So, how'd it go?" she asks. "Bree can be pretty rough on our prospective 'Bigs'."

"Well, I felt it only fair to tell her about those dead bodies in my freezer at home, but she seemed willing to overlook that."

"Yeah, we're pretty liberal here," she jokes. "So, Edward…what does this all mean?"

"Well, I think it means I'll be taking Miguel to a Rockies game this weekend, if all goes well."

"Oh my God, that's amazing! I'm so happy for him! I'm happy for you! I'm happy for all of us!"

I cock my head and wait for her inevitable question. Am I committed for the long haul?

"How will you manage with your schedule?"

"I guess I just made the decision to invest in my cosmic happiness. I'll make room."

"I approve," she responds.

"Good, because I have three tickets for the game, and I was really hoping you'd come along."

"Well," she smirks, "I was just about to book some luge lessons for this weekend, but I suppose I could be persuaded to change my plans. Hey, speaking of which, weren't you supposed to be up at Powderloaf through tomorrow night?"

"Yeah, well…" I ease myself into the chair across from her desk. "After you left, Jasper and I rode up to Devil's Basin and let Goosebumps pound us around for a bit. We got down to the Sunset Lodge, took one look at each other and agreed that the mountains had pretty much lost their appeal. I was on my way home an hour later."

She nods along with my story. "And when did you decide to come here?"

Bella holds onto my eyes, giving me nowhere to hide. "Not surprisingly," I begin, "being home offered me very little in the way of comfort for my agitated spirit."

With a look of concern, she asks, "Your spirit is agitated?"

"Yes, but in a productive way. The kind of agitation that kicks you in the butt and says, 'You need to do something about your sorry life before it's too late.'"

"And then?"

I rest back against the chair and exhale loudly. "And then…I decided to take your very wise advice."

"I wish you had called me last night, Edward. I could've helped with the—"

"No, Bella," I interrupt softly. "I didn't want you to know until I was pretty sure it would work out. I didn't really know what would be asked of me, but I knew that I couldn't disappoint you."

Bella's right hand covers her heart and she pops out of her chair to meet my on my side of the desk. Now that she's standing right in front of me, I can see the tears welled-up in her eyes. And when she speaks, it's not without difficulty, "I don't think you could disappoint me if you tried."

Her words draw me to my feet, and I don't attempt to form words over the lump sitting in my throat. It's enough that I take her face in my hands and brush the moisture from her cheeks with my thumbs.

"You're my goddamn hero, Edward Cullen."

A sound of disbelief leaves my lips as I kiss her forehead tenderly and attempt to blink away my own tears. "That's pretty funny," I answer, boldly looking her right in the eye and letting her see how she affects me. "I feel like you're the one who just saved _me_."

*/ the end /*

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Truly, _THE END_. Trust me that these two will be doing all the lovely lemony things your imaginations are now conjuring now that they've reconnected out in the real world.

Thank you all for riding up and down this mountain with me since New Year's Day. I hope these two do-gooders warmed the cockles of all your hearts. Thanks again for helping this story rise to Fic of the Week status. Kitkat has made me a lovely new banner, which will appear alongside her review at TLS next week.

If you miss me, come find me tomorrow at KEA and Thursday at LRR- EPOV (or, _All Lathered Up and Nowhere To Go!). _


	24. Disaster Relief

**A/N: **Ohmygosh, remember THIS old story? Remember how they never quite FINISHED things? *wink* WELL, there is all manner of relief to be had when disaster strikes. I'll see you at the bottom! SWOOSH! Enjoy.

**DISASTER RELIEF ****(A sequel to Slippery Slope, written for the F4OK)**

***/WHEELS/***

**/BPOV\**

"So, how was your date last weekend? And don't deet-block me." Alice pokes at her spinach salad, but her piercing blue eyes don't let up for an instant.

"Al, I told you twenty times; it wasn't a date. Edward took Miguel to a Rockies game, and I tagged along, as in, third wheel."

"Did you sit next to him at least?"

"No. Miguel sat between us."

"Wow." Alice sets her fork down at the side of her plate in disbelief. Those eyes narrow and she challenges me. "Are you honestly telling me you had no alone time with the lawyer..._at all_?"

I bite the inside of my cheeks, and she cocks a brow. "Give it to me, Stingy-rella!"

I take a long sip of my iced tea, calculating my chances of escaping this inquisition somewhere around zero. "Oh, fine! We had five minutes to ourselves when Miguel went to the bathroom, but let me tell you, the men's room exit at Coors Field is far from a romantic setting!"

Victory firmly in her evil grasp, Alice grins. "A lot can happen in five minutes."

"Yes. A little boy can go to the bathroom."

"Annnnd two people waiting in the hallway can...?"

I feel my traitorous lips curl into a smile, but I am powerless to stop them. "Kiss."

I'm not sharing with Alice, but it was a toe-tingling, spine-quivering, blood-boiling kiss. A sweet touch of two mouths unwillingly divided for almost a week, anticipation building every moment of every day—sleeping hours not excluded. It was a beginning-of-the-season kiss, lips cool from the chilled air of the stadium, slick with foamy beer, as soft and sweet as I remembered from our reunion in my office.

Alice's mouth turns down at the corners. "That's it?"

"I so want to shove this olive up your nose right now."

"Can't I be happy for my friend?"

"I don't know. Can you be happy for me without knowing every last detail of our relationship?"

Her eyes sparkle at the new artifact she's unearthed. "So it _is_ a relationship then?"

I ponder the fate of the olive at the end of my fork for a second before deciding that gnawing on it will be a more mature choice than flinging it at my little busybody of a best friend. "Feels like it's heading that way. We're going out tonight."

"With the kid?"

"Nope. Alone this time."

"Thank god. Where are you guys going?"

"Actually, we're meeting halfway, at a restaurant in Broomfield, so neither of us has to drive too far to get home afterwards."

Alice smiles knowingly. "And you're not close enough to where either of you lives to have that awkward should-we-or-shouldn't-we moment?"

"That, too. It's technically only our second date." Not counting time spent on skis.

Alice dabs her mouth and measures her words. She knows she's skating on thin ice. She also knows that while I don't judge her for hopping right into bed with Jasper—or even for evicting me from our ski condo to shack up with her musician that first night they met—it's just not my speed.

Alice holds up her hand. "I get it."

"Alice, I know you have my best interests at heart, but I've got this now. Everything changed when Edward walked into my office last week. He's here and he's committed. There's no rush. We can take our time with this, let things evolve..."

From Southern Comfort-flavored lips at the back of a horse-drawn sleigh to salty, ballpark kisses at Coors Field, I've already had enough of Edward to know that I'll probably always want more of him. I pop a block of feta cheese between my lips and savor the briny tang and crumbly texture while my mind wanders happily to our impending date. Just a few more hours and we'll be alone, together, again.

"Jeez, now _I_ feel like the third wheel," Alice muses, snapping my attention to the chin propped up onto her folded hands and the gently teasing smile just above it.

"I still have olives left, and I'm not afraid to use them," I snap, but my words are softened by the hot glow of my blush.

***/HEAT/***

**|EPOV|**

"Yes, Emmett, two weeks in a row. Yes, Emmett, I always carry protection. No, Emmett, the kid's not coming. Mmhmm. Yes. No. Dear Lord, seriously? I'm getting another call. Shit, it's work. Gotta go! What? Yes, yes, I will call you tomorrow. Jesus, I swear you're worse than Mom!"

I tighten the towel at my waist and drop back onto the edge of the bed. A phone call from the managing partner on a Saturday? Not good.

"Cullen." I try to keep the irritation out of my voice, but know I've failed when he chuckles.

"Yeah, I just ruined your day...and likely the next three weeks of your life."

My fingers curl around the comforter and squeeze—hard. His timing could not possibly be worse. "What can I do for you, Marcus?"

"I actually have great news. Our firm was just selected by the governor to manage the distribution of the relief funds for Moore. It's a huge deal for us, and I'm bringing in the heat."

I can practically see my heart drop from my chest into the depths of my belly. So much for seeing Bella tonight, let alone touching Bella, for the next three weeks. And what three-week job was ever over in three weeks' time? Let's just call it a month, to be perfectly, entirely miserable.

"Cullen?"

"Yes, sir. I'm here."

"Okay. I'm emailing your itinerary. Our flight leaves in two hours. I'll give you all the docs to review on the plane. Leave your pinstripes home; it's a mess out there, son."

"See you at the airport."

_Fuck_, I need to get dressed and pull together at least two weeks of clothes—the firm can pick up the hotel laundry bill after that. I tear off my towel and toss it aside, pulling on a pair of khakis and a button-down.

I hardly even have enough time to call and apologize for breaking our date at the last minute, and I definitely need to get my anger under control before I speak with Bella. I can't help but feel like a heartsick teenager over this imposed separation.

Still, I'd willingly take this sorrow a thousand times over to be able to experience the ecstasy of being alive again, feel her heart beat for mine through her thin sweater, bask in the warmth of her smile, taste the mustard-topped pretzel on her lips. With a deep sigh, I fall heavily onto my mattress and speed dial Bella's number.

"Hey."

Her voice turns my heart over. "Hey."

"Uh oh, what's wrong?"

Damn, she's perceptive—one lousy word tipped her off. "I hate to tell you this, but I can't meet you today."

"Oh." Her tone slides into disappointment. "Did something happen?"

"Yes, Bella," I assure her immediately. "I have to catch a plane."

"Today? Right now?"

"Yeah. It's the tornado."

"Oh no, did you..._know_ someone?"

"No, no, nothing like that. Our firm has been retained to administer the relief fund. Our managing partner worked on the nine-eleven fund, and he's handpicked a few of us, and it's gonna be a depressing, miserable—"

"Important job, and it's fantastic that you get to be there on the front line. I'm really proud of you," she finishes for me. A brick of guilt slides off my shoulder.

"Thanks for understanding. You know I wouldn't have missed our date for anything short of a natural disaster."

"Well hey, if not for a near-death experience, we never would've met, so I suppose in a way, it's sort of our M.O."

"I guess," I chuckle. "Still, I appreciate the no-drama approach."

"Edward, you know me better than that, don't you?"

"Yes, Bella, of course I do. I'll call you as soon as I can. Okay?"

"Sure. Safe flight. We'll talk soon."

***/DEAL/***

**/BPOV\**

"Knock, knock."

I look up from my pile of intake forms with a heavy sigh—more "Littles" to match, more dire financial burdens, each story sadder than the one before. Bree takes one look at me and sinks into the chair opposite my desk. "Monday morning blues?"

"Ugh, is it still morning?" I glance at the corner of my computer screen. 11:45 AM. How am I ever going to make it through three weeks without Edward if I can't get through the first day? "Time doesn't fly when you're not having fun."

Bree nods sympathetically. "Miguel still flying high from that Rockies game?"

My frown is instantly erased as images of the two of them together roll across my mind's eye: Edward buying Miguel his first mitt, Miguel stuffing his face with a hot fudge slider sundae served in a plastic Rockies cap, Edward patiently teaching Miguel how to track each play with a secret shorthand code of letters and numbers and lines that hold the boy's interest through the entire nine innings. Miguel stretching to Edward's ear when he wants to be heard above the roar of the crowd, and Edward leaning in close to Miguel, wrapping his arm protectively around the back of Miguel's seat, occasionally brushing his thumb along my shoulder and setting me on fire with a sexy wink.

"Bella?"

My coworker's soft grey eyes are twinkling with glee, and I know my face is beet red. "Yeah, Bree, and Miguel's not the only one."

She nods. "He's a great guy, Bella. I'm so happy for you."

"Mmhmm. If we could only clone him 149 times..." I lift the hefty stack in front of me, "this whole pile, would be on your desk instead of mine."

The smile on Bree's face brightens. "Actually...that's what I came in here to tell you."

"What? Your cloning machine finally started working?" I tease, but my curiosity is piqued.

"Something like that. I just got a call from your counselor-at-law."

"Edward called _you_?" _Go away, green monster_. _You talked to him last night, _I remind myself_, for an entire hour._

Bree nods. "Well, I should say I _started_ with Edward and then he handed me over to the managing partner of his firm. It seems that Volterra & Volterra want to send three more big brothers and two big sisters our way."

"What? That's wonderful! Edward didn't mention anything about that last night when we spoke!"

"Mmhmm, and...V &V took out a corporate sponsorship for our fall gala."

"What? Really? Wow!"

"There is a catch, however."

My already skipping heart takes several hyper bunny hops in my chest. "What kind of catch?"

"Riley and I kind of made a trade with Edward's boss."

"Bree, why are you looking at me like that, and no offense, but what on earth could you possibly offer them that could be worth all that?"

She finally loosens the strings enough to let the cat out of the tight bag she's been holding since she knocked on my door. "You."

"WHAT?" The first thing that comes to mind is one of those charity auctions where a volunteer is "sold" to the highest bidder to provide some kind of undefined service, and I now picture myself on the chopping block. "What did you do, Sabrina Genevieve Tanner?"

"Whoa there, B. No need to pull out full names here. All I did was convince Riley to give you a three-week paid sabbatical...in Oklahoma...starting right now."

"A sabba—? Okla—? NOW?" I'm out of my seat like a shot. "Why?"

Bree chuckles warmly. "I hope you manage to untie that tongue of yours before you get to your boyfriend, sweetheart."

**|EPOV|**

I've deposed known mafia bosses, made home visits to crack dealers, and battled head-to-head in the courtroom with some of the most brutal corporate pit bulls our profession has ever produced. Never before have I had the snarl of terror wadding up my insides as I wait in the lobby for my..._can I even call her my girlfriend_?

_Not right now, you can't, counselor. _Aside from the small detail that I have no clue how she feels about this summons, Bella's been called here for her expertise in social work, not a date.

_What the hell was I thinking_, _convincing Marcus that Bella would be the answer to our problems?_ All I know is that sitting there in the hospital room yesterday with my first interviewee, I had felt grossly underqualifed to handle the situation—not from a legal perspective, but from a human one. When we'd met up for our breakfast debrief this morning, and others expressed the same reservations, I'd blurted out my suggestion to bring in a social worker. When Marcus pressed me after the meeting, I'd told him all about Bella, Bree, and even Miguel. He wrapped his arm around me, pulled me to the corner of the room, and ten minutes later, the deal was sealed. _Along with my fate_.

My stomach takes a back aerial flip as the taxi headlights round the circular drive of the Colcord Hotel, and before I realize it, I'm hustling a guy in uniform out of the way to open her door.

"Bella! Thanks for coming."

She takes my offered hand and steps out of the taxi, giving me an odd look. "Edward, what the hell is going on? I still don't understand why I'm here."

"Sir? The lady's suitcase." The driver pokes the handle impatiently into my hand, and I fumble with my wallet, the luggage, the befuddled bellman, and the girl until everything is handled and the two of us make our way safely into the lobby. I march Bella up to the reception desk and announce her name.

"Edward?" she pleads.

"I promise I'll explain everything," I stumble nervously. "Let's get you settled, and we'll go get some dinner. You hungry?"

"I think I need a drink more than food right now," she answers.

The desk clerk cuts in anxiously with grim news. "Oh dear, ma'am, I'm afraid there's a problem with the room."

"What?" We both respond at once.

"As you can imagine, we've been inundated with out-of-towners this week, and there are only so many hotels to handle the demand. We're completely sold out," she announces, looking apprehensively from Bella to me and back again.

I turn my head when Bella snorts, then bursts into slightly hysterical peals of laughter. "Bella, you okay?"

"Let's have that drink now, shall we, roomie?"

The tension effectively broken, I thank my lucky stars again for Bella's reasonableness, find the eager bellman I cheated out of his job earlier, and press a ten into his hand along with the handle of Bella's suitcase. "Stow this in 1840, please."

"Right away, sir."

Turning toward Bella, I clasp both her hands in mine. "Have I told you lately how much I appreciate you?"

"Nope." A smile plays at her lips, and my control shatters.

I lean forward and press my mouth to hers. "Thank you for coming," I tell her again, slowly this time, so I can see that it registers.

"You're very welcome," she answers, our foreheads resting against each other. "Are you about ready to tell me how three weeks of my time equates to five Bigs and a ten-thousand-dollar check?"

I huff and look down at the floor. "Bella, what can I say? Riley drives a hard bargain, but we're pros. Clearly, we got the better end of that deal...at least, _I_ did."

I chance a look into her gentle, brown eyes, and I'm pretty sure I see a reflection of exactly how I feel—smitten, humbled, and grateful as all hell.

***/ROOMIES/***

**/BPOV\**

"Déjà vu a little bit?" Edward says sheepishly as he slides the key card into the slot. When the door opens into his luxurious corner suite, I can confidently say I've never seen anything quite like this before—in any language. My gasp causes him to turn and take my hand, pulling me gently inside while mumbling about advantageous corporate rates.

I can't help feeling like Eloise at the Plaza as my eyes take in the elegant, contemporary sofas lining the sitting area, an enormous plasma screen taking up most of a wall, a kitchenette—complete with a generous basket overflowing with a rainbow of lush fruits, and a massive desk where Edward seems to have set up base camp.

He releases my hand, and I feel the heat of his eyes on me as I wander through the suite to the bedroom. I try not to dwell on the sprawling bed with its welcoming pillows and turned-down comforter, white and crisp against the sumptuous black leather headboard. The sight of my suitcase resting on a brass luggage rack as if it owns the place draws out an "oh dear" that splinters our silence.

"What?" He's nervous, too. I can hear the shift in his voice.

"I think my suitcase might be a slut."

He steps up behind me, pressing his chest to my back and wrapping an arm around my stomach. "I seriously doubt it," he answers with a soft chuckle while he rocks us gently side-to-side.

My hair is swept over one shoulder as his lips drop soft kisses up the column of my neck, and my eyes drift closed as I swoon into his hard body. I'm lost in this, lost in him, floating in this elegant place while the reality of Mother Nature's warzone sits not ten miles away. It's all completely disorienting.

"Edward," I whisper.

"Hmm?" The kisses move...behind my ear, the line of my jaw...soft, sweet kisses...

"I don't..." _want to be a meteorological booty call. I don't want to be the laughing stock of your office tomorrow morning. I don't want you to stop._

He stills, then pulls back. "I'm sorry."

I clutch his arm, surprising him, and turn us both so we're facing each other. "I was just going to say, I don't have a clue what I'm doing right now."

"It's okay, Bella. I'm fully expecting to sleep on the couch. I even have my own bathroom out there, so I'll just get my toothbrush and a couple quick things for tomorrow...and leave you to your privacy."

Before I can find the right words to hold him there, he's slipped out of my grasp and placed a chaste kiss on my forehead. I watch helplessly as he pulls a pair of shorts from the dresser drawer and snags his toilet bag from the bathroom. "Breakfast is at eight in the Wright Room," he reminds me as he exits the bedroom and closes the heavy door behind him. I collapse onto the cream-colored leather bench at the foot of the bed and stare at the door separating us, imagining his graceful movements as he undresses for sleep and burrows into the couch for the night. It occurs to me that he's without pillow or blanket, but I don't trust myself to go out there right now. I'm not sure he wouldn't take it as a lame excuse to steal one last caress or one more kiss, and frankly, I'm not sure he'd be wrong.

I finally force myself to get up and unpack. There's an odd sense of belonging as I fill in the drawers that Edward's left empty and hang my things in the vacant half of the giant walk-in closet. I hadn't really given all that much thought to sleeping arrangements when I'd packed, assuming it would all be very professional and I'd have my own room, and now I'm grateful that I packed my familiar navy cotton sleep pants and my Powderloaf tee-shirt.

As I go about my nightly routine, a whirlwind kicks up and builds inside me. I've seen the devastation on the news, read the horrific stories about families whose children were buried in the rubble of their elementary school, seen the fires and leveled homes. But tomorrow, I'll walk the damaged earth with Edward and his colleagues, and we'll meet the victims and feel their pain firsthand. They'll be looking to me for support, victims and lawyers alike.

Do I have the training? In theory, yes, but my career path has taken me far from the eye of the storm, for the most part. Sure, I'm on the front lines with our families, and that is often incredibly painful and challenging, but it's not this—not mass trauma.

I protested vehemently to Riley when I learned what would be expected of me. He assured me no matter how sweet the pot, he would never have agreed to Marcus's offer if he were not entirely convinced I could be effective here. Besides, he argued, I won't be alone. The place is crawling with faith leaders and health workers and rescue teams, so I'm not expected to be all things to all people. I'm the liaison to the lawyers, advisor and ground support.

I want to live up to Riley's faith in me and prove worthy of Edward's gamble. Most of all, I want to answer that big question for myself: can I be that person at the center of the storm who can provide what is needed?

**|EPOV|**

It's been a while since I needed to tiptoe around, but the last thing I want to do is wake Bella this morning. Actually, the last thing I want to do is embarrass Bella, and that's why I'm showered, dressed, and down at breakfast by 7:15. My colleagues don't need to know we're sharing a room, regardless of how innocent it may be.

The servers are just setting up the coffee pots, and they direct me to the main lobby, where I find Marcus sitting in one of the high-back armchairs reading something on his iPad.

"Morning." I sink into the low couch across from the coffee table.

"Ah. You're up early," he answers, looking up from his screen. "Bella get in okay last night?"

"Yes," I tell him, careful to keep my voice as even as possible. "I briefed her over dinner."

"Great. I look forward to meeting her. I'm just making some last-minute notes here about today's assignments. I assume you'll want to show Bella the ropes?"

"Yes," I answer, perhaps a bit too eagerly. Marcus leans forward, elbows resting on his knees, ever the vigilant litigator watching for signs of weakness in his adversary—though I hope to never find myself in that role.

"You know, her boss struck quite the aggressive deal, Edward." He's playing with me now, enjoying watching me squirm. "Rather raked me over the hot coals."

"She's good at what she does," I respond.

"So I gather. You're going to need the help today. You and your group are slotted to visit Steelman Estates."

I swallow over the lump in my throat. We drove by the devastated mobile home park yesterday, taking in the stark landscape as people returned to the area to dig through the debris for items with sentimental value. "We'll handle it," I tell him confidently.

"I know you will. We should head over to breakfast; the others will be filing in. I'll let you introduce Bella to the group."

She isn't among the early birds already gathering in the conference room, so I keep an eye out for her as I pour myself a juice. It's still a few minutes before eight when Bella makes her appearance. Clearly, she'd been briefed about the casual attire, but my heart still flickers at her slim black pants and simple blue sweater. Her long brown hair is neat, and as usual, she doesn't look like she's wearing makeup. As I get close enough to read her expressive eyes, I see that they're laced with anxiety.

"Hey. Sleep okay?"

Her eyes dart around the room, but nobody's paying us any attention. "Yeah. Weren't you cold?"

For some reason, this makes me smile, maybe because she was thinking about me out there, at least briefly. "A little."

She flinches a bit. "That's not right."

"We'll talk about it later, okay?" I'd like almost nothing better than to talk to her about our sleeping arrangement. I'm only hoping that she doesn't check back with the front desk to locate an available room. Even if I'm not with her, I'd rather have her in my bed than anywhere else.

"Sure. So, what's the plan here?"

"Well," I try keeping it light, "over here, you have your hot buffet items—scrambled eggs, bacon, and such..."

She elbows me, but at least I see a small smile break through. "Ow. You have a bony elbow!"

"And you have no body fat!"

I burst out laughing and nearly spill my juice. "Come on, let's get some food so I can introduce you to the team."

***/EXPERT/***

**/BPOV\**

"Okay, everyone. Say hello to Phil," Edward announces, standing at the front of the van and addressing the team of six attorneys who have been assigned to the trailer park.

"Hello, Phil," we all deadpan. He lifts off his Rangers cap, exposing a nearly bald head, and gives us a half-salute while pulling away from the sidewalk. I'm riding up front with Edward and attempting not to fidget as he introduces me next.

"As I mentioned at breakfast, Bella is a social worker, and we've bartered her away from her job for the next few weeks to act as a resource for us, to be our liaison with the victims, and to help us approach and deal with the human side of this tragedy."

"Oh, so now you expect us to act like humans, Cullen?" one of the guys belts out.

Edward takes it in stride, chuckling. "Not you, Newton. Nobody would expect that of you; don't worry."

I love their self-deprecating banter, and I feel incredibly honored to be a part of this team, but right now, I am completely distracted by Edward and Edward alone. My eyes drink in his flawless proportions, dancing across the plush texture of the tan crew-neck sweater outlining his broad shoulders and tapering to his athletic waist, then gliding down the body-hugging ribs of his dark corduroy pants.

Edward glances over at me and gives me a slight nod, jolting me from the daydream and pulling me to my feet. I trade places with him, giving myself a mental pat on the back for not throwing him down onto the floor right then and there, but instead grabbing onto the seatbacks on either side as I balance in the aisle.

"Better hold on tight, Swan," Edward teases, a friendly reminder of my not-so-graceful performance on the mountain.

I mutter back under my breath, "I do pretty well in street shoes, thanks."

He smiles back, and I melt just a little more before remembering that there are twelve eyeballs watching us. One deep breath is all it takes, and I'm ready to address the group.

"So...as Edward said, my name is Bella Swan, and I've been with Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Denver for eight years now; before that, I was a case manager at the Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children.

"I thought it might be helpful to provide you with a few general guidelines for dealing with victims of tragedy and loss and perhaps provide you with a specialized lens, if you will, for viewing what we're all about to encounter. I'm happy to take your questions after that, and I'll try to make myself available throughout the day. So if you find yourself in an uncomfortable conversation that you can't handle, please find me and I'll do my best to help. Sound good?"

A funny thing happens as I give my little intro bit. I realize that I really am the expert here, that I do have something to share that these people are desperate to hear. All their cocky bravado melts away—even the Newton character is sedate—as I share the basics of empathy and good listening skills. Once or twice, I allow myself a glance at Edward. Though he appears humbled by my offering, he also manages to radiate pride in me at the same time. The desire to curl up in his lap is almost overpowering.

My little fantasies aside, the twenty-minute ride to the trailer park is completely filled by my talk and some excellent follow-up questions from the group. It's not as if empathy can be mastered in that short time span, but providing this framework for their day should go a long way. Each one thanks me personally while exiting the van, and I feel like I'm off to a good start.

We're met by Harry Clearwater, the site supervisor, a weathered man with a layer of chalky powder settled over his skin and deep furrows carved into his forehead. I'm guessing he's aged at least ten years in the last week. His mouth seems molded into a permanent frown, but there's light and warmth in his eyes. Edward shakes his hand and thanks the man in advance for his time.

"You people are a godsend," he tells us. "We can use all the help we can get."

"We'll do our best, sir," Edward assures him, gripping Harry's upper arm and nodding.

It hits me right then, the profound weight of the effort being led by this man I am beginning to care for so deeply. Edward Cullen is not simply my own private savior; he's one of those people who lead entire communities to greatness. As we stand at ground zero where the tornado touched down one short week ago and ruined so many people's lives, the sun breaks dramatically through the clouds. The deep bronze of Edward's hair suddenly catches a fiery copper glow, and his emerald eyes sparkle and gleam in the bright light. He's utterly gorgeous, otherworldly, take-your-breath-away perfect.

When our eyes meet again, I get the powerful sense he's reading my every thought. Right there, in the middle of the devastation, I surrender. I drop my shields and invite him in all the way, as I've never let another person in before. The feeling is so exhilarating, it's all I can do to keep a respectable distance.

**|EPOV|**

As Harry walks us through the streets of Steelman, it sickens me how one family's former home is now indistinguishable from the next; it's all one continuous pile of debris. Each of us is carrying a site map, and Harry does his best to correlate the piles of charred remains with the numbered lots.

Bella's presence just behind me is a comfort I didn't have yesterday, and I feel irrationally, immeasurably better just knowing she's here. At the same time, her proximity is driving me slowly mad. It's not as if we can hold hands or kiss or even brush shoulders. I find myself slowing my gait just to reduce the distance between us, so I'm actually close enough to hear her when she gasps and crouches suddenly.

"Harry?" she calls out.

He stops and turns, stepping past me to see what she's found.

Bella pulls a burnt, wet box from under a door.

"Careful with that. There are all kinds of metal shards and splinters in those piles," Harry warns.

I rush to her side. "What is it?"

"It's a photo box." She lifts the remains of the lid, and miraculously unearths a stash of unscathed photos.

"Someone's going to be awfully happy to be reunited with those," Harry tells her, placing his broad hand on her shoulder.

My heart feels like it wants to burst free of my chest. If for no other reason than this moment, I'm certain that bringing Bella here was the right decision.

Our walking tour complete, we hop back into the van and Phil drives us over to the community center, where the newly homeless population—our clientele—is finding temporary shelter. I speak to the director of the center, and we help set up makeshift offices where some semblance of privacy can be achieved. The victims have pre-assigned numbers, so they take their meetings in an orderly, civilized queue. Rather than perform the interviews myself, I manage the process, triaging the direst to the more experienced attorneys, stepping in where I feel I might be needed, and helping Bella identify where her soft touch might do the most good.

Though we're both moving around among the offices, I have a fair amount of opportunity to watch Bella in action, and the more I see, the more she impresses me. Despite the fact that she's completely out of her element, Bella slips into each conversation like a familiar friend, oiling the creaky gears that might otherwise gnash without her presence.

After three straight hours of meetings, I reassemble my team and we head back to the van, where Phil has boxed lunches and cold drinks for us. Everyone is worn out and hungry, and the only sounds that can be heard are the popping of soda can tabs, the rustling of wrappers, and the muffled crunch of chips.

Bella's leaning back against the window with one leg sprawled across the seat. She's holding a turkey sandwich in her lap, but she's barely chewing. Her eyes are glazed and far away.

I scoot to the edge of my seat, across the aisle from her and bend across the space between us.

"How ya doin'?"

Her chin tips lower and her gaze levels with mine. And now I'm a little terrified. "_Bella_? Are you okay?"

She nods slowly, takes in a heavy breath, and exhales painfully. _Shit_.

Screw decorum. I'm across the aisle and sharing the seat with her before rational thought can enter the conversation. I lean in close and I whisper, "Talk to me."

"I'm okay, Edward." Her eyes are watery, but her voice is true. "I was fine when I was inside, but then...I got out here, and it all hit me." She blinks a few times, and her vision seems to clear. "It's like when you brought me down the mountain, one turn at a time. Every piece was manageable. You don't even realize what you've survived until..."

"Until you get to the bottom and look back," I finish for her.

"Yeah."

I find her hand and thread my fingers through hers, holding her tightly. "Bella, I'm sorry."

Her forehead crinkles. "For what?"

"I think I just became the asshole who took you to the top of the double black diamond on your first day out."

"Maybe," she responds honestly, "but you brought me here to help _you_ down the mountain this time." She turns our wrists playfully, taking the sting out of what she needs to say. "You're not exactly an expert on these slopes yourself."

"No, I'm really not." A small chuckle escapes me. "So what the hell are we gonna do?"

Bella favors me with one of those smiles that I dreamed of after she left the mountain. "I guess we'll have to save each other again."

The rest of the day flies by. We're busy with back-to-back appointments, but if any of us expects the stories to get easier to bear—or to become immune in some way—we are dead wrong. What does change as the day wears on is that we get better at supporting the victims and each other. Following Bella's lead, I'm less inhibited about placing my hand on one of my associate's backs, or squeezing a shoulder, or sitting quietly in the room while a victim cries. Customs that rule the office in Boulder have little bearing on how we conduct ourselves in the disaster zone. I can't even imagine how we'll all go back to the decorum of a normal office after this is all over.

As for Bella, I hope she's ready for a new level of intimacy, because after today, I will not be able to keep a gentlemanly distance ever again.

***/EVERYTHING/***

**/BPOV\**

Exhaustion owns me—inside and out. My head is throbbing; my heart aches for these people and their individual and collective losses. I desperately need to lift the yoke off my shoulders for a few hours and get some rest before we have to do the whole thing all over again tomorrow and the next day and the next day. I'm so tired, I can't even spare the energy to doubt myself. Whether I was good enough will have to be an issue for another day. As Edward slides the key into the reader, all I want is to fall into his arms, hit that soft bed together, and slide away into oblivion holding onto him for dear life.

I realize at once that Edward has other plans entirely. No sooner does the door click shut behind us, than he has my back pinned to the wall with his whole body, and his lips are consuming mine with slow, deep kisses. His tongue penetrates my mouth without a moment of uncertainty or hesitation.

I am his and he takes me.

I curl my fingers into his hair, finding strength I thought had long left my body.

His palm slips under my sweater. "Need you," he moans, and I'm so ready and wet for him.

My knee hitches over his hip, and he catches my thigh, grips me tightly, pushes his hips against me without mercy, and it doesn't matter that I can't stand up—because he's got me now.

Our kisses are wild and desperate; my whimpers are swallowed by his grunts; neither of us is able to get as deep, to possess the other as fully as we desire.

Suddenly, I'm in his arms and we're moving quickly toward the bed.

"I'm not leaving tonight," he announces, or is it a promise?

"I won't let you," I promise back, pulling him down to capture more of his kisses.

He's peeling my sweater off, over my head. "Fucking gorgeous," he pronounces before diving between my breasts with his mouth while his hands frantically work the clasp behind my back.

"You," I beg, pushing at the hem of his sweater, delighted that he's not wearing anything underneath, feasting my eyes and hands on his muscular chest, pulling him down against me, bare skin sliding on bare skin.

Kissing and touching and writhing and now the pants are in the way, so we kick off our shoes and we grasp at buttons and zippers and tug and pull and miraculously, we're naked.

He's beautiful and thick and hard as a boulder, a _boulder_—I giggle for a second, but it hardly slows him down—his mouth is right there and I'm warm and slippery and wet and _ohmygod_ it feels so good and I open my thighs because I want everything. He doesn't even tease; he feasts on me and slips in a finger—or is it two?—and his thumb makes tiny circles and I'm skipping and giddy and soaring and falling...

**|EPOV|**

"God, Bella. You're fantastic." She came so hard for me, and all I want is to see her fall apart again.

She reaches for me and I walk my knees closer, lining up between her legs.

Her palm circles my dick, and she plays with me, watching me hiss and groan and rock into her hand.

I'm so hard, so desperate. I don't mind if she wants to finish me this way, but I'd so much rather—

"Did you bring anything?"

I nod quickly, jumping away from her soft warmth, but knowing that when I come back, I get the grand prize. She's giving me everything.

Sheathed and ready, I scurry back into place and drop a kiss on her breast, pulling her nipple between my teeth. We'll have time later for the soft and tender; I'm sure of it now, but this...this is going to be gritty.

I want to say something to her, something really significant, but I don't want to be that guy who mutters the most important words of his life just before he enters the girl who makes him feel that way. So I tell her again that she's beautiful, and I plunge inside.

The pleasure is unbearable, the feeling of being encompassed, being allowed inside the very core of her being. I could cry or sing psalms or...bury myself inside her again and again, thrusting toward the spot that will bring us both the most pleasure.

Her hips lift to mine, and I feel her drawing me inside her. It's intoxicating—not just the physical sensation but the idea of it. She wants me. She chooses me. She gives herself to me again and again. And she takes, too. She pulls from me.

It's hot and untamable and it blends together in a blissful twister, sweeping us away with the momentum as it takes on a life of its own. She's here and I'm here and this thing is here in bed with us, driving and forcing us together while it spins us madly out of control.

I'm grunts and thrusts and it takes all my concentration to draw breath, and then everything tightens and we're suspended in midsentence, frozen like a cell frame from an animated movie, then the wild tumble of my orgasm and hers right on top and we're breaking apart and we're holding onto each other like we never want to let go.

***/RELIEF/***

**/BPOV\**

Edward's head is tucked into my side, his fingers playing with my nipple. My fingers trace the smooth skin of his back, free at last to wander across the playground of his bare body.

"Wow. _That_ happened." At my words, he tips his face to mine, checks my expression, then eases back into place wearing a wide grin.

"I was afraid I might have to apologize afterwards," he mumbles into my chest.

"For what? Coming up for air?"

His soft chuckle is music to my ears. "For not being able to wait. For not taking 'no' for an answer."

This makes me laugh out loud. "I'm sorry...somebody said 'no?'"

Edward shimmies up along my body so that his face is level with mine on the pillow. He pulls his long, elegant fingers through my hair and tucks a few strands behind my ear. His eyes are so close and so complex, a girl could get good and lost in them. "I probably shouldn't admit this, but I had no intentions of being a gentleman tonight."

A tiny surprised huff escapes me. "I wasn't exactly ladylike myself."

Suddenly, his hand cups the back of my head, and his lips are on me—gentle yet insistent. When he pulls back, I'm lightheaded and weak.

"I never meant to be such an animal with you. I kind of lost my head."

"Edward, just because I wanted to wait doesn't mean I want you to treat me like a porcelain doll in bed...or against the wall." _Cue the blush_.

"Oh. Hmmm," he hummed thoughtfully, "then you might not like what I have in mind for the rest of our night."

"Now I'm curious."

His lips quirk up and he starts drawing random patterns down my belly. "Well, first of all, I was going to order up some big, fat cheeseburgers and french fries."

"So far, so good."

"And then...I was going to make us a giant bubble bath to share."

A bubble bath with Edward. My eyes roll back in my head, and I let him hear my pleasure. "_Mmmmm_."

"And then..." his hand travels lower, "I was going to show you slowly and repeatedly..." and circles, "...how very much I appreciate you..." He covers my mouth with his once again, teasing with the tip of his tongue and making promises with his fingers. "So, what do you think of my plan?"

"I think you had me at cheeseburgers."

"Ha! A girl after my own heart!" He stretches his whole body over me and reaches for the phone, leaving me his spectacular ass to ogle and stroke.

"What kind of cheese?" he tosses back over his shoulder, eyeing me while I play with him.

"I couldn't care less." They could put limburger cheese on that sucker, and it would taste like brie right now.

"How do you want it cooked?"

"Pink," I answer, giving his bottom a firm thwack and earning an astonished yelp.

"Pink for the lady, and we'll take two orders of fries and two Coronas and some chocolate chip cookies and a piece of cheesecake, and just knock and leave the food in the hall."

**|EPOV|**

"I'm ready for you." She doesn't know the half of it, but she will the moment she takes my hand and sits down in front of me. Even the hot water and exhaustion cannot stifle my body's response—a situation that becomes even more prominent when she does finally settle between my legs.

"That's quite the welcome, mister." She wiggles her ass against me as she falls back onto my chest and drops her head back against my shoulder with a loud sigh.

I slide my hands up her stomach and grasp her slippery breasts in both hands, rolling over her nipples with my thumbs. "Like you're helping anything."

Bella chuckles softly and closes her eyes while I drag the sea sponge over every inch of her skin.

"This is so much better than the Jacuzzi I didn't get to take with you at Powderloaf."

She giggles. "Still bitter about that night?"

"A little, but I'll probably get over it in, like, twenty years."

More giggles.

"I'm ready to wash your hair," I tell her.

She cranes her neck and kisses me. "Are you sure you're for real?"

"Well, one large part of me is wood..." I flex my hips for effect, "but the rest is all boy."

"Get to work, Pinocchio, and don't be telling any lies."

Her casual comeback stops me dead in my tracks. I know what a lie is. We lawyers have a colorful list of words to describe all the various shades of dishonesty that parade before us every day: deception, falsehood, fraud, misrepresentation, invention, slander, perjury, subterfuge...it's nearly endless. Happily, I'm not guilty of most of those, but there is one word that sticks in my craw as I cup my hand and pour in the shampoo—_evasion_.

Bella sinks lower in my lap as I wet her hair and drizzle the grapefruit-scented shampoo around her head. She closes her eyes and sighs deeply as I begin to work it through, white lather forming under my fingers. She's floating just below the surface, and even with the layer of bubbles, there's plenty to distract me from the task at hand—her long, kissable neck, the tight nipples that highlight her fantastic breasts, that place between her thighs that feels like home—but as much as all those places call to me, the simple pleasure of doing this for her tops them all.

Evasion - a means of escaping something, usually involving cunning or deceit; concealing the truth.

The truth that I want her, need her, desperately. That I want to learn what makes her happy, and then I want to do that thing repeatedly. The truth that I'm the best version of myself with her.

The obvious truth—that I love her.

I'm not sure at what point "not blurting" becomes "evasion," but suddenly I feel that holding back this little revelation of mine may have crossed that line. Not in any court of law, but here, in the intimacy of our space. The realization makes me prickly and uncomfortable, and I shouldn't be at all surprised that Bella's caught on to my situation.

"Something wrong?" She squints one eye open and turns her head at the surface of the water.

"Nothing."

In response to a direct inquiry? Evasion, for sure. _You are dead in the water, counselor_.

"Bella, I love you."

Water sloshes violently up the sides of the tub as Bella twirls around and bolts to a sitting position. "Did you just say what I think you said? Because my ears were underwater, and I may be a little dazed because of all the sexing and the sweet talk, and I'm kind of a sucker for a scalp massage."

"Yeah," I answer, trying really hard not to laugh because she is drenched and adorable and confused, "I did."

"Say it again...while I have both ears out of the water."

I narrow my eyes just a bit. "I think you're milking this thing now."

With one simple word from the wet girl on my lap, everything changes. "Please?"

"Bella...I love you."

Her arms reach around my neck, and she presses her soft, warm lips to mine. It's a slow, gentle, sweet kiss, not like the one I pressed into her at the door.

She pulls back, resting her forehead against mine, and whispers, "I love you, too."

**Author's Note****: Love and respect to the fine ladies who organized this effort to help those hurt by the hideous devastation in Oklahoma. Ysar, Twistar, KM Tok, RvrSong, and Domie—you guys are da bomb! It was not only a privilege to contribute, but also a wonderful excuse to go back to one of my original stories—and one that many people had felt was left, shall we say, unresolved?—and give these two the ending they always deserved together. So that was ALL GOOD!**

**Now, for my amazing team: Shell and Intricacy, my two awesome pre-readers and idea bouncers...thank you for your wonderful insights into these characters. Chaya, you kick my butt when need be, but you're always there to provide inspiration and shine a light on the best parts. I'm so much better because of all three of you. Sweet, sweet Betti G, banner maker extraordinaire, this one not only told my story, but it helped determine the tone before I even got started. Your generosity and talent blow me away every damn time. **

**Hope you all enjoyed the story! **

**XXX ~BOH**


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